Human Genome Sequencing Process made easy

 

Sequencing the Human Genome

We all carry different versions of human genome. The human genome is a huge set of instructions present in cells which make up the way we are. These instructions are encoded in a long thread like structure called Chromosomes which store information in bases A C T and G.

Genome is the combination of letters that cells understand how to behave. we all are different because of the difference in our genome. Genome is unique in every organism.

Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project is considered an international effort of different scientists, countries and organizations over three billion dollar cost to decode all the DNA letters (genome) in our body. The UK's Sanger Centre (now Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute) sequenced all or parts of chromosome 1, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 20, 22 and X.

The question arises that how they managed to sequenced the genome as we believe that Genome is very large in length and very small in size which we can not see through naked eye. To sequence, they divided larger pieces into small pieces. Then these pieces were separated in space and they were sequenced individually.

But how?

The answer is on the fact that DNA binds with exact opposite sequence DNA like A---T and  C---G. Because sequences were very smaller, scientists use enzymes to make copies of each genome piece which become thousands of replicas of each piece. Hence then scientists were able to separate and sequence the DNA letters of human body using Sanger's method of sequencing.