Video Transcript
Which of the following is a
beneficial application of the Human Genome Project? (A) Scientists can genetically
modify humans so we do not suffer from any diseases. (B) Scientists can identify genes
in humans that cause genetic diseases or disorders. (C) Scientists can find and kill
all bacteria within the human genome. (D) Scientists can create a
stronger, more advanced species of human.
Let’s start by discussing what the
Human Genome Project actually was. The goal of the Human Genome
Project was to sequence the human genome and to identify all our genes. You may remember that the genome
refers to the total genetic information of an organism. The human genome has about three
billion base pairs and over 20,000 genes, which is a lot of information. The knowledge we have gained from
the Human Genome Project has had an impact on several areas of science. One of these is the identification
of the genes involved in certain genetic disorders.
By sequencing the human genome,
scientists have been able to figure out which genes could be responsible for causing
health problems. In the diagram, you can see a short
DNA sequence and a hypothetical segment, or gene, that has been identified as
disease-causing. This identification has been
extremely useful for the early identification and treatment of some genetic
diseases.
Now, let’s take a look at our
answer choices. Option (A) talks about genetically
modifying humans so that we do not suffer from any diseases. Option (D) also mentions
genetically modifying humans to create a stronger, more advanced species. Neither of these options are
correct and, in fact, raise several ethical concerns. We can rule out these options
straightaway.
Option (C) says that through the
Human Genome Project, scientists can identify and kill all bacteria within the human
genome. This statement doesn’t make sense,
since the human genome refers to the entire human DNA, which does not contain
bacteria. And in fact, most of the bacteria
in our bodies is incredibly useful for us. So we can rule out this option
too.
The correct answer to this question
is therefore option (B). Scientists can identify genes in
humans that cause genetic diseases or disorders.
