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Posted 28 Feb 2024

2 min read

  • Sequencing whole genome of 10,000 healthy individuals from 99 communities of diverse Indian populations was completed under Genome India Project (GIP).
  • GIP, inspired from Human Genome Project, was launched and funded by DBT (under Ministry of Science & technology) in 2020 to collect 10,000 genetic samples from citizens across India, to build a reference genome. 
  • It is a consortium of 20 national institutes and led by Centre for Brain Research Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science.

 

  • Significance of GIP: Creating a database of Indian genomes can help researchers to learn about genetic variants that are unique to India’s population groups and use that to customise drugs and therapies.

 

  • About Genome and its sequencing
    • Genome is entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.
    • In humans, it comprises 23 pairs of chromosomes (thread-like structures of DNA) in cells’ nucleus and small chromosome in cells’ mitochondria.
      • Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is molecule that carries genetic information for functioning of an organism.
      • DNA contains unique chemical codes determined by order of Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G) and Thymine (T) (four nucleotide bases present in DNA).
    • Genome sequencing refers to figuring out order of DNA nucleotides in a genome (i.e., order of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts).

Other initiatives for Genome sequencing

  • Human Genome Project, launched in 1990 (completed in 2003), covered about 92% of total human genome sequence. 
  • IndiGen programme to undertake whole genome sequencing of thousands of individuals representing diverse ethnic groups from India.
  • Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) sets standards to expand genomic data use within a human rights framework.
  • Tags :
  • Human Genome
  • Genome and its sequencing
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