100% of Human Genome sequenced

100% of Human Genome sequenced

Part of: GS Prelims and GS III – Sci and tech; Biotechnology 

In news 

• Researchers at the Telomere-to- Telomere Consortium, an international collaboration, have sequenced the first complete human reference genome.

About Genome Sequencing and genome

• Genome Sequencing means deciphering the exact order of base pairs in an individual. 
• Genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA. 
• Human Genome contains about 3 billion base pairs. 

Benefits of Genome Sequencing

• Help in identifying genomic causes of rare diseases. 
• Improving the understanding of how virus spreads. 
• Identifying the genetic mutations 

Various initiatives taken for genome Sequencing 

• IndiGen programme: Funded by the Council for scientific and Industrial Research to undertake whole genome sequences of 1000 Indian individuals representing diverse ethnic groups from India. 
• Genome India project by Department of Biotechnology which aims to collect 10,000 genetic samples from citizens across India 
• Human Genome Project: An international research to determine DNA sequence of the entire Human Genome. It began in 1999 and was completed in 2003.