Complete sequencing of the human genome opens the door to personalized treatments
After the arduous attempt to decipher 8% of the human genome, science was awarded another achievement. After nearly two decades, scientists managed to sequence 100% of the human genome – previously, data comprised 92% – through advanced technologies.
Named T2T-CHM13, the genome contains information from complex regions that were once mysterious. The 8% that remained had several repeats, making it difficult to join the DNA correctly. The study, published in the journal Science this Thursday, 31, contains 400 million letters to DNA, the equivalent of an entire chromosome.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FULL SEQUENCING OF THE HUMAN GENOME?
The question that may remain is: what are the benefits of this scientific advance? And the answer is: many. This because Scientific research can seek a better understanding of problems such as Down Syndrome and even the emergence of cancers. “This is a new variant chest that we can study to see if it has functional significance.”said one of the study authors and a researcher at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in the United States, Adam Phillippy.
Yet, according to the researcher and professor of computer science and biology at Johns Hopkins University, Michael Schatzthe achievement opens doors to personalized treatments. The study involved 100 scientists from the Tlomere-to-Telomere (T2T) Consortium.
“Having this complete information in will allow us to better understand how we are formed as an individual organism and how we vary not only among other humans, but among other species.”added research leader and researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Washington, Evan Eichler.
Source: Recreio
