A genome map is a visual representation of an organism’s complete genetic structure, including DNA and RNA. It can be illustrated linearly or in a circle. Genome mapping helps locate unknown genes by using already discovered genes as landmarks. It is useful in researching genetic diseases and tracing inherited genes. The Human Genome Project is a common application.
A genome map is a visual diagram that represents the complete genetic structure of an organism. Many people confuse the genome with genes, but the difference is that genes are just a part of the genome, which is the whole structure made up of other components such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). In one sense, a genetic map is the outline of just one room in the house, but a genome map is the blueprint of not just the house, but also the backyard, the porch, and the entire lot on which the house sits. Genome mapping can be applied to any organism and animal, but probably the most common application is the international project called “Human Genome Project” which helps to decode the entire genome of the human body.
You should always remember that a genome map is just a representation and not the real thing itself. Use only numbers, letters and colors to symbolize the components in a language humans can understand. Some scientists draw the map linearly, like rows and rows of colored barcodes placed side by side or on top of each other. These barcodes have a numbered code next to them, such as “D14S72,” which can refer to a particular chromosome. Other scientists prefer to illustrate the map in a circle, with small colored lines lined up next to each other and numbers just below them.
The purpose of the genome map is to locate other unknown genes by looking at already discovered genes that can act as ‘landmarks’, much like a landmark on a city map that tells a driver where he’s going. Sequenced DNA, where scientists have determined how DNA components are arranged, can also be another landmark. By analyzing these genes and DNA, scientists can also calculate and predict which genes are linked to them, thus making the map larger and more complete.
A genome map is very useful when it comes to researching certain diseases, especially genetic ones such as Huntington’s disease and some cancers. What scientists usually do is trace the genes that have been inherited by a family from generation to generation. It has been found that some genetic ‘landmarks’ that have been passed down have a tendency to sit close to the specific gene responsible for the disease. In this way, a genome map helps scientists narrow down and find certain genes, and as a result, helps a person or family take preventative steps to prepare for or protect themselves from disease.
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