Achievement Task

Human Genome Project

September 2001

Many people have heard of the Human Genome Project but far fewer understand the importance of it and how the information is being used now and its potential use in the future. Your job is to write a newspaper article helping people to understand what the Human Genome Project has accomplished so far, how researchers are using this information and what future applications are being considered.

Part A: Research the Issue

1. What is a genome?
2. What are the goals of the human genome project?
3. What does the draft human genome tell us? Answer the following questions.
   1. How many nucleotide bases are there in our genome?
   2. How many nucleotide bases are in a gene on average?
   3. How many genes are there in the human genome?
   4. What percentage of the discovered genes do we know the functions of?
   5. What percentage of the genome actually codes for proteins?
   6. What percentage of the genome is "Junk DNA"?
   7. Which chromosome has the most genes and which chromosome has the fewest?
   8. Which has a greater chance of carrying a mutation, a sperm cell or egg cell?
4. What is described as being the next step now that the working draft of the genome has been completed?
5. What does annotating the human genome mean?
6. What are the two tasks involved in this process?
7. What is proteomics ?
8. Many genes for structural proteins, enzymes, diseases, and disorders have been pinpointed in the human genome already. Use this human genome site to search for the chromosome(s) that the following have been found on: cystic fibrosis, colorblindness, night blindness, susceptibility to alcoholism, lactase, amylase, elastin.

Part B: Analyzing the Data

Potential benefits of the human genome project include advances in molecular medicine, advances in risk assessment, helping us to better understand evolution, and advances in DNA Forensics (Identification).

1. Describe how molecular medicine will benefit from the information obtained in the human genome project.
2. How will the human genome project impact on assessing the risk posed to individuals by exposure to toxic agents.
3. How can the human genome project help us to understand evolution?
4. Identify five ways DNA Forensics (Identification) will benefit from the human genome project.
5. How does the complete human genome sequence affect how we see ourselves?

Part C: Write a Newspaper Article

Write a newspaper article that outlines what the Human Genome Project has accomplished so far, how researchers are using this information right now and what future applications are being considered.