Civil services Current affairs - GENOME SEQUENCING

GENOME SEQUENCING

About the Genome Sequencing:

  • The process of understanding the exact arrangement of base pairs in a person’s genome is known as genome sequencing. 
  • Sequencing is concerned with “deciphering” or “reading” the genome. 
  • The cost of sequencing varies depending on the methods used to read the genome and the level of precision required.

Genome sequencing is required because:

  • Since the human genome was initially sequenced in 2003, it has provided new insight into the relationship between disease and an individual’s genetic make-up.
  • A single gene failure is thought to cause around 10,000 illnesses, including cystic fibrosis and thalassemia.
  • While genes may make some people resistant to certain medications, genome sequencing has revealed that cancer, rather than being viewed as a disease of specific organs, may be understood through the lens of genetics.

Source: THE HINDU.