DNA and The Genome

• The genome of DNA is contained in the nucleus of a cell
• DNA is a polymer made of two strands forming a double helix
• DNA contains the instructions for growth and development of all organisms
• DNA is composed of structures called chromosomes
• The genome is the entire set of genetic material (DNA) found within an organism.
• genes

  • a gene is a short length of DNA found on a chromosome form different types of proteins
  • each gene codes for a particular amino acids
  • these sequences of amino acids form different types of proteins
• different types of proteins

  • structural proteins (such as collagen found in skin cells)
  • enzyme
  • hormones
• what do genes control?

  our characteristics as they code for proteins that play important roles in what our cells do
• what was the human genome project

  • an international research effort to determine the DNA sequence of the human genome and record every gene in human beings
• why was the human genome project important

  • improved our understanding of genes linked with different types of disease and inherited genetic disorders
  • help us in finding treatments