Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
SNPs are DNA variations that occur within a single nucleotide (A,T,C,G), and the genome sequence is altered.
The genetic code is specified by the four nucleotide letters: A (adenine), C (cytosine), T (Thymine), G (guanine). A SNP varriator occurs when one nucleotide, such as an A, replaces one of the other nucleotides.
There is a SNP Consortium (TSC) including 10 pharmaceutical compnaies which are in the process of mapping these SNPs.
SNPs are important to understand because they may be the cause of varition which leads to disease, or are atleast signposts on the gene for pinpointing a certain disease.
They are valuable to study because of their frequency and even distribution through the genome.
SNP patterns are extremely useful as well. "To create a genetic test that will screen for a disease in which the disease-causing gene has already been identified, scientists collect blood samples from a group of individuals affected by the disease and analyze their DNA for SNP patterns.
Next, researchers compare these patterns to patterns obtained by analyzing the DNA from a group of individuals unaffected by the disease. This type of comparison, called an "association study," can detect differences between the SNP patterns of the two groups, thereby indicating which pattern is most likely associated with the disease-causing gene. Eventually, SNP profiles that are characteristic of a variety of diseases will be established. Then, it will only be a matter of time before physicians can screen individuals for susceptibility to a disease just by analyzing their DNA samples for specific SNP patterns."
The genetic code is specified by the four nucleotide letters: A (adenine), C (cytosine), T (Thymine), G (guanine). A SNP varriator occurs when one nucleotide, such as an A, replaces one of the other nucleotides.
There is a SNP Consortium (TSC) including 10 pharmaceutical compnaies which are in the process of mapping these SNPs.
SNPs are important to understand because they may be the cause of varition which leads to disease, or are atleast signposts on the gene for pinpointing a certain disease.
They are valuable to study because of their frequency and even distribution through the genome.
SNP patterns are extremely useful as well. "To create a genetic test that will screen for a disease in which the disease-causing gene has already been identified, scientists collect blood samples from a group of individuals affected by the disease and analyze their DNA for SNP patterns.
Next, researchers compare these patterns to patterns obtained by analyzing the DNA from a group of individuals unaffected by the disease. This type of comparison, called an "association study," can detect differences between the SNP patterns of the two groups, thereby indicating which pattern is most likely associated with the disease-causing gene. Eventually, SNP profiles that are characteristic of a variety of diseases will be established. Then, it will only be a matter of time before physicians can screen individuals for susceptibility to a disease just by analyzing their DNA samples for specific SNP patterns."
posted by Alana at 2:44 PM
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