Saturday, November 22, 2014

Mice, Humans, and the ENCODE Project

The purpose of this article was to depict the similarities and differences between the human and mouse genomes, and it intended to illuminate the fact that mice may be used to study human biology only to an extent. Researchers have determined that the ways in which humans and mice regulate their genes has been around for a long time; in other words, the gene regulation is evolutionary. The ENCODE project (the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) is currently keeping track of the similarities between the two genomes, such as which genes are activated at what time and the DNA sequences of each. The ENCODE project has proven to be an effective database for genetic biologists nationwide, allowing professionals to use the mouse genome to assist in treatments for diseases.


However, the genome of mice can't be used to aid in the treatment in human disease in all cases. Two examples of systems that can't be compared between the two genomes is the immune system and response to stress. Environmental factors may have contributed to the differences between the mouse and human genomes. However, the ways in which genes are regulated are extremely similar; gene transcription and chromatin modification are two examples of gene regulation. Despite the similarities in these processes, they differed from one type of cell to the next. In one project, an author of Nature found several statistics that demonstrate the difference and similarities between the genomes. For example, after studying over one million locations of DNase 1, he found that approximately 35% of the information was the same in mice and humans.

Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141119132703.htm
Supporting Article: https://www.broadinstitute.org/scientific-community/science/projects/mammals-models/mouse/mouse-genome-project

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