• UGI USER
  • Mar 01, 2024
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING INDIA’S GENETIC MAP

Why in the news?

India’s Genome India initiative, which recently announced the successful sequencing of 10,000 whole genomes of healthy individuals, is making headlines.

source:reddit

About Genome India Project Announcement and Progress:

  • Genome India initiative: Sequenced 10,000 whole genomes of healthy individuals.
  • Collaboration: Researchers from 20 institutes collected samples, sequenced genomes, stored data.
  • Data storage: 80 GB required per sequence, totaling 8 petabytes at Indian Biological Data Centre.
What is Genome?

●   Genome: Complete set of genetic material in an organism, including all genes, carrying instructions for development, growth, and reproduction.

●   Human genome: Over 3 billion DNA base pairs forming a double helix structure.

What is Genome sequencing?

  • Genome sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of the nucleotides (A, T, C, and G) in an organism’s DNA, revealing the genetic code that defines its characteristics.

About Digital public good:

●   Accessibility: Dataset accessible to researchers as a “digital public good” for developing diagnostics, therapies, and identifying rare diseases.

●   Objective: Aims to create a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variations in the Indian population.

●   Importance: Crucial for understanding evolutionary history, disease genetics, and developing future therapies.