Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

MozeeToby t1_ivfpuys wrote

Reply to comment by FellowConspirator in If the Human Genome Project represents a map of the genome of a few individuals, why is this relevant to humans as a whole if everybody has different genetics? by bjardd

In addition to this, the human genome serves as a reference genome. You don't need to say "this patient has this string of 500 base pairs representing their variant" you can just say "at position 125 they have a GTA instead of ATA and at 244 they have 6 duplicated pairs"

156

BeardOBlasty t1_ivhmayn wrote

Yea I've always understood genes as being the beginning framework, and then as you grow and develop the little differences along the way is what make the unique human.

I always thought identical twins are the example that very similar genes can still result in very different people....or not. It's all about how the framework grows in it's environment.

16

julie78787 t1_ivi1vcy wrote

Identical twins will not have the exact same DNA at every point in each of their chromosomes. Each a cell divides, including the division which resulted in twinning, some number of mutations are likely to occur.

18

SuitableClassic t1_ivj99ay wrote

Is that why my identical twin is an ugly dofus, and I'm gorgeous beyond compare?

7

slouchingtoepiphany t1_ivk2qlk wrote

That's correct, the genes for beauty disproportionately went to you, unfortunately, the genes for intelligence might have gone the other way. Only kidding!!! :)

3

Dyvion t1_ivjgy3v wrote

See the movie, "Twins" for a true to life perfectly real example of this.

3