Government aims to sequence 10,000 genomes by 2023
Recently, genome sequencing of 10,000 Indians will be completed by the end of 2023 under the Genome India Project (GIP).
Under GIP, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is close to sequencing 7,000 genomes. Of these, 3,000 are already available for public access.
- Countries such as Britain, China and the United States have programs to sequence at least 100,000 genomes of their populations.
- DBT started GIP in 2020 inspired by the Human Genome Project. Its target is to sequence the genomes of 10,000 Indians and create a database of the same.
- By having a database of the genomes of Indian people, researchers can learn from anywhere about genetic variation that is specific to population groups in India.
- Also, that database can be used to optimize drugs and treatments.
- The GIP is led by the Center for Brain Research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. It is playing the role of a central coordinator among 20 leading sister institutions of the country.
- Genome sequencing involves finding out the exact sequence of DNA nucleotides or bases in the genome.
- The sequence of adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T) is present in the DNA of organisms. Let’s build.
- Genome is the complete set of genetic information in an organism.
Uses of genome sequencing:
- This enables the identification of mutations responsible for the development of hereditary disorders and cancer;
- helps in monitoring disease outbreaks;
- Personalized medicines can be developed on the basis of genomic structure etc.
Source – The Hindu
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