Summary:
The
Human Genome Project is a coordinated science project which started in 1990 with
the purpose of mapping the human genetic blueprint.
Humans
are made up of trillions of cells each of which contains genetic material called
DNA. Within these long filaments reside the genes that we inherit from our
parents. Scientists have found that some (if not all) diseases are linked to
abnormalities in the genes. Locating and mapping the human genetic blueprint can
help scientists understand these genetic abnormalities and the interplay of
several genes which cause disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Duchene
muscular dystrophy.
Mapping the human genes has proved
to be no easy task. The human genome is considered to be the “master library” which
contains all of the genetic information which resides in twenty four different
chromosomes. Each cell in the human body contains DNA filaments that can be up
to six feet long within its nucleus. In each of these filaments there are six
billion base pairs.
Recently, investigators found that
the gene responsible for Huntington’s disease was located on chromosome four,
but even after a decade of study they still don’t know which gene in particular.
This shows how arduous it can be to pinpoint specific genes. One way to map these genes is to compare the
chromosomes of many people with the same disease or characteristic. By finding
similarities in genes we can determine what exact gene or genes are responsible
for the disease.
A method of analyzing chromosomes
is flow cytometry. In flow cytometry, individual chromosomes are held in aqueous
suspensions and passed in single file through one or more laser beams for
analysis. This allows analyzing thousands of chromosomes per second.
The main goals of the Human Genome
Project are to develop resources useful for genome research, develop DNA
mapping strategies, make ordered clone maps and DNA sequences of human
chromosomes, and use the sequences to study genome organization and variation. The
main goal, however, is not just to determine the exact sequence of the DNA, but
to find the significance of specific genes and how they interact with each other.
Analysis:
Although there is proof that intelligence is at least partly
genetic, scientists still haven’t found the specific gene or genes that are responsible
for a person’s intelligence. It is likely, since there seem to be different “types”
of intelligences, that intellectual abilities do not rely solely on one gene
but on the interaction of many genes. In order to identify these genes,
scientists would have to collect a large group of people who score
above-average on intelligence tests, sequence their chromosomes, and analyze
them to look for similarities among the group. This is easier said than done, scientist
would have to analyze the entire genome of a person and what makes it all the
more difficult is that intelligence is made up of different factors and there
is no clear, exact definition of what intelligence is.
Questions:
What would be the benefits of finding the genes responsible for intelligence?
What ethical problems could arise from finding these genes?
"The Human Genome Project."
Energy & Technology Review. April/May 1992: 29+. SIRS Government
Reporter. Web. 15 Apr 2012.
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SFL2086-0-4692&artno=0000079562&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=genome%20project&title=The%20Human%20Genome%20Project&res=N&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=N
If it is possible to find these genes many accomplishments can come from them. Scientist could be able to rate and cure some intellectual problems that we have no control for today. However if this is possible would it be ethical to classify people by their intelligence? Or would this cause differences among people?
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