Human Genome Project (HGP): Another Awesome Webquest

Human Genome Project (HGP): An Awesome Webquest

For this assignment you are to investigate the history, science and technology behind the HGP. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has created a very extensive website that discusses the history, theory and science of the project. You can use any resource you choose, but I strongly recommend the NIH site.

If you read “DNA: The Secret of Life,” then the timeline / history of the project should be well known to you. You may find yourself quickly skipping through this facet of the assignment. For the technological side of the HGP everyone should carefully dissect the information on the test. We will discuss this material next week in class, but it will be too your advantage to understand the information prior to the class lecture / presentation.

Complete the questions below. You do not have to use complete sentences or paragraph form. Just make sure that your answers will help you to completely understand the question.

Resources

General NIH site:

NIH HGP Timeline:

NIH How to Sequence a Genome:

Questions

1. When did the Human Genome Project start? Who were the major financial sponsors for the project?

2. What were the 7 main goals of the HGP?

3. What were some (not all) of the major scientific biological breakthroughs that lead to the idea of sequencing the entire human genome?

4. What was the first eukaryotic genome sequence to be completed? Why was this organism chosen?

5. What were some of the other organisms to be sequenced?

6. When was the first draft of the human genome release?

7. How may genes were proposed in the first draft? How many genes to we think humans have today?

8. Who else (person and/or company) released a draft of the complete genome? Why do you think a person or company would want to complete the entire genome?

9. What is the HapMap? What is its purpose? What kind of information does it contain?

10. Approximately how many bases are in the human genome? How many different individuals’ genomes must be analyzed such that the complete genome is accurate?

11. What is the purpose of creating genetic maps for sequencing? How were gene libraries used?

12. What is a BAC? What is it used for in the HGP?

13. How and why are E. coli used in sequencing?

14. What are the four main “ingredients” for a sequencing reaction? What is the purpose of each ingredient? What is the deal with the fluorescent dye?

15. What are the products of a sequencing reaction? How are the products separated?

16. How are the sequences read? How does a laser help this process?

17. How are all of the sequences but back together to establish one genome? How / why are computers used?

18. How were the results released? How accurate was the final sequence?

19. What is a haplotype? How is it found? What is a SNP and how can it be useful in comparing individuals or populations?

20. What is a SNP and how can it be useful in comparing individuals or populations?