Chapter 27.5, Problem 27.6P

Classify the following activities according to the fields of study listed in Table 27.2.

1. (a) Identification of genes that perform identical functions in mice and humans.
2. (b) Creation of a variety of wheat that will not be harmed by an herbicide that kills weeds that threaten wheat crops.
3. (c) Screening of an individual’s genome to choose the most appropriate pain-killing medication for that person.
4. (d) Computer analysis of base-sequence information from groups of people with and without a given disease to discover where the disease-causing polymorphism lies.

Table 27.2 Genomics-Related Fields of Study

Biotechnology A collective teem foe the application of biological and biochemical research to the development of products that improve the health of humans, other animals, and plants.

Bioinformatics The use of computers to manage and interpret genomic information and to make predictions about biological systems. Applications of bioinformatics include studies of individual genes and their functions, drug design, and drug development.

Functional genomics Use of genome sequences to solve biological problems

Comparative genomics Comparison of the genome sequences of different organisms to discover regions with similar functions and perhaps similar evolutionary origins

Proteomics Study of the complete set of proteins coded for by a genome or synthesized within a given type of cell, including the quest for an understanding of the role of each protein in healthy or diseased conditions. This understanding has potential application in drug design and is being pursued by more than one commercial organization

Pharmacogenomics The genetic basis of responses to drug treatment. Goals include the design of more effective drugs and an understanding of why certain drugs work in some patients but not in others.

Pharmacogenetics The matching of drugs to individuals based on the content of their personal genome m order to avoid administration of drugs that are ineffective or toxic and focus on drugs that are most effective for that individual

Toxicogenomics A newly developing application that combines genomics and bioinformatics m studying how toxic agents affect genes and in screening possibly harmful agents.

Genetic engineering Alteration of the genetic material of a cell or an organism The goals may be to make the organism produce new substances or perform new functions. Examples are introduction of a gene that causes bacteria to produce a desired protein or allows a crop plant to withstand the effects of a pesticide that repels harmful insects.

Gene therapy Alteration of an individual’s genetic makeup with the goal of curing or preventing a disease.

Bioethics The ethical implications of how knowledge of the human genome is used.