Context: Gujarat has become the first state to launch a genome sequencing initiative focused exclusively on tribal communities.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Genome, Genome Sequencing and its applications, Genome India Project; Tribal Genome Sequencing Project.
Tribal Genome Sequencing Project
- The project- Creation of Reference Genome Database for Tribal Population in Gujarat- is being implemented by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre.
- Aim: To identify genetic health risks and improve access to personalised healthcare solutions for tribal populations.
- The initiative will sequence the genomes of 2000 individuals from tribal communities in 17 districts in the State.
Significance:
- Tribal populations in India face a disproportionate burden of genetic disorders like- sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, certain forms of cancer etc. There is a longstanding gap in genomic data for India's tribal populations. The genetic database could lead to the early detection and better treatment of the inherited diseases.
What is Genome Sequencing?
- A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA. It is a collection of all the genes and the regions between the genes contained in our 23 pairs of chromosomes.
- Each chromosome is a contiguous stretch of DNA string composed of millions of individual building blocks called nucleotides or bases [adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T)].
- These bases (A, T, G and C) are arranged and repeated millions of times in different combinations.
- Whole-genome sequencing is the decoding of the entire DNA present in the human cell, i.e., determining the precise order of the four nucleotide bases in DNA.
Applications of Genome Sequencing:
- Disease Diagnosis: Identify genetic mutations and variations, evaluate rare disorders and even cancer from a genetic viewpoint.
- E.g., Nearly 10,000 diseases (including cystic fibrosis and thalassemia) are the result of a single gene malfunctioning.
- Mutation in MYBPC3 (Cardiac Myosin binding protein) leads to cardiac arrest at young age (found in 4.5% of Indian population but is rare globally).
- Personalised Drug Development: Can identify genetic targets for drug development and testing, leading to the development of more effective and personalised drugs.
- Prenatal Screening: Can be used as a tool for prenatal screening to investigate whether the foetus has genetic disorders/anomalies.
- Forensics: Genome sequencing can be used to identify suspects in criminal investigations and to establish paternity in cases of disputed parentage.
- Evolutionary Biology: Can help trace the evolutionary history of species and understand the mechanisms underlying evolution.
- Agriculture: Can help identify genes that contribute to desirable traits in plants and animals, allowing for the selective breeding of crops and livestock.