Basic Bioinformatics.ppt

Basic Bioinformatics As it is applied to the Bacillus megaterium genome What we are going to talk about Why we are doing all this DNA sequencing What genes look like and where they are found How we can compare sequences between different species How genes move between species DNA Sequencing Bioinformatics is based on the fact that DNA sequencing is cheap, and becoming easier and cheaper very quickly. the Human Genome Project cost roughly $3 billion and took 12 years (1991-2003). Sequencing James Watson’s genome in 2007 cost $2 million and took 2 months Today, you could get your genome sequenced for about $100,000 and it would take a month. The Archon X prize: you win $10 million if you can sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days, at a cost of $10,000 per genome. It is realistic to envision $100 per genome within 10 years: everyone’s genome could be sequenced if they wanted or needed it. Why it’s useful All of the information needed to build an organism is contained in its DNA. If we could understand it, we would know how life works. Preventing and curing diseases like cancer (which is caused by mutations in DNA) and inherited diseases. Curing infectious diseases (everything from AIDS and malaria to the common cold). If we understand how a microorganism works, we can figure out how to block it. Understanding genetic and evolutionary relationships between species Understanding genetic relationships between humans. Projects exist to understand human genetic diversity. Also, sequencing the Neanderthal genome. Ancient DNA: currently it is thought that under ideal conditions (continuously kept frozen), there is a limit of about 1 million years for DNA survival. So, Jurassic Park will probably remain fiction. From DNA to Gene But: extracting that information is difficult. How to convert a string of ACGT’s into knowledge of how the organism works is hard. Most of the work is on the computer, with key confirming experiments done in the “wet lab”. The sequence be