As you probably know from reading the Textbook
section, DNA is read by the cell in triplets. Each set of
three base pairs codes for an amino acid, which is the building block for
the over 50,000 kinds of proteins in your body. These proteins
direct growth and allow your body to function properly. The Human
Genome Project hopes to find out what each segment of your DNA does.
The Basics
The Human Genome Project will cost nearly 40% the money required to build
the International Space Station. It is funded by the United States
Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. The 15
year project is working with over 400 teams, although half the budget goes
to 21 main research centers.
The Human Genome Project is scheduled to be finished in 2005. Its
basic goal is to find all the genes in the human body, as well as other
model organisms, and to determine the function of those genes.
However, with 1990's technology, that goal was not accomplishable in 15
years. Therefore, the goals of the project also include the
development of new technology to rapidly sequence and interpret the DNA.
History
Back in 1985, a group of physicians got together and decided that the
medical community should declare war on cancer. Of course, the first
order of business was to figure out what caused cancer in the first place.
Well, radiation can cause cancer. Why does radiation cause cancer?
Because it alters the genetic structure of the cell. What part of
the DNA is altered? No one knew. At that moment, the idea of
mapping the human genome became very popular. In 1990, the
Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health launched the
Human Genome Project.
Goals
In addition to mapping the human genome, the project is also mapping
several model organisms -- animals that share certain aspects of humanity.
Among a few others, scientists are mapping the mouse (vertebrate; very
similar to humans), the roundworm (multicellular), a yeast (cell with
nucleus), and E. coli (alive). They chose these organism because
they each share progressively less in common with humans, and they have
all been subjects of scientific scrutiny for some time. In fact,
most genetic engineering work is done either with mice or E. coli
bacteria. Please note that the scientists are working with a
harmless form of E. coli and not its dangerous cousin.
The Human Genome Project's goal, basically stated, is to map the entire
human genome, find out what each of your genes does, and discover the
sequence of the base pairs of those genes. The data gathered in this
project can be used to develop tests for genetic conditions and
susceptibilities. This information is potentially very useful; if a
man finds that he is genetically prone to a heart attack, he may eat a
healthier diet or begin to exercise. The same testing can also be
used to predict side effects or effectiveness of medication. It can
determine if you are a carrier for certain recessive
diseases. The vast amount of data collected by the Human Genome
Project can be put to very good use, but it can also be abused;
discrimination based on "faulty" genes may be a very real issue
in the future. Therefore, the Human Genome Project also devotes 5%
of its budget to looking at the implications of its research.
Ethics
One of the unique aspects of the Human Genome Project is that it has a
sub-program called ELSI that looks at the Ethical, Legal,
and Social Implications of the Human Genome Project, trying
to address issues before they come up.
Genetic testing holds bright promise for the near future. However,
there is also a great debate about what sort of information should be made
available, and to whom. For instance, who is allowed access to
genetic information? You? Your doctor? Adoption
agencies? Employers? Insurance companies? The
government? Access isn't the only problem. If you found out
that you would become terminally ill at age 45, and there was nothing you
could do about it, would that affect your life so adversely that it would
be better not to know? ELSI tries to come up with answers to tough
questions before all of the Human Genome Project's data is acquired and
released. |