The complete set of genes (DNA) in a cell.

What is the proteome?

The full range of proteins that a cell is able to produce.

How can the proteome be found in simple organisms?

Use the genome's base sequences to determine the amino acid sequences of the proteins.

How can genome sequencing help make vaccines?

It identifies potential antigens, such as surface proteins of the pathogen.

Why is the proteome hard to find from a complex genome?

There is non-coding DNA and regulatory genes.

What is non-coding DNA?

DNA that does not code for the amino acid sequence of a protein.

Why do different human cells have different proteomes?

Regulatory genes mean that different genes are expressed in different cells.

How have sequencing methods changed?

They are continuously updated and automated, so faster and cheaper.

Why is a bacterial proteome easy to predict?

Most of its DNA codes for protein.

Do all predicted antigens work in vaccines?

No, they must be tested for an immune response.

Which organisms have had genomes sequenced?

A wide range, including humans.

Genome projects and sequencingAQA A-Level Biology: Flashcards

Card 1 of 120 of 12 known

Question

What is a genome?

Tap or press Space to reveal

Tap card or press Space to flip

See all 12 cards

What is a genome?: The complete set of genes (DNA) in a cell.
What is the proteome?: The full range of proteins that a cell is able to produce.
How can the proteome be found in simple organisms?: Use the genome's base sequences to determine the amino acid sequences of the proteins.
How can genome sequencing help make vaccines?: It identifies potential antigens, such as surface proteins of the pathogen.
Why is the proteome hard to find from a complex genome?: There is non-coding DNA and regulatory genes.
What is non-coding DNA?: DNA that does not code for the amino acid sequence of a protein.
What do regulatory genes do?: Switch other genes on or off.
Why do different human cells have different proteomes?: Regulatory genes mean that different genes are expressed in different cells.
How have sequencing methods changed?: They are continuously updated and automated, so faster and cheaper.
Why is a bacterial proteome easy to predict?: Most of its DNA codes for protein.
Do all predicted antigens work in vaccines?: No, they must be tested for an immune response.
Which organisms have had genomes sequenced?: A wide range, including humans.

Exam questions on Genome projects and sequencing

Researchers sequenced the genome of a disease-causing bacterium. It has a single circular chromosome of 2.2 million base pairs and about 2,000 genes. The team wants to identify proteins on the surface of the bacterium that could be used as antigens in a vaccine.
Explain how knowing the genome of the bacterium allows potential antigens for a vaccine to be identified.2 marks
The human genome contains about 3.2 billion base pairs. Only about 1.5% of this DNA codes for proteins, and there are about 20,000 protein-coding genes. A human cell can produce many more different proteins than there are genes, and different cell types produce very different sets of proteins from the same genome.
Explain why only part of the human genome can be used to predict the proteins produced by a cell.2 marks
During an outbreak of a new bacterial disease, scientists used automated sequencing machines to read the whole genome of the bacterium in two days. The first human genome took 13 years to sequence, but sequencing methods have been continuously updated and now cost far less.
Suggest three benefits of automated sequencing methods compared with the methods used in the first human genome project.3 marks

See the full worksheet

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).