This is quite inconvenient information.
A quick bit of background is necessary. The Human Genome Project, and the scientific branch of Genomics has been lauded as “one of the more fundamental advances in human history”. This project was launched to sequence and map the entire Human Genome. In 2003 scientists had finished sequencing about 150,000 base pairs of corresponding nucleotides. The results were in, but the results were quite disappointing to all geneticists.
As it turns out, there are only approximately 25,000 genes in the human genome. This is about the same number found in grass.
It became quickly and painfully obvious that 25,000 genes could not describe all the traits and variations in the human species. However genes do act as brilliant markers for many diseases.
But.. that’s all old news.
We still know nothing about what fundamentally makes us different at a biological level. But that may change. A branch of biology called “Proteomics” is moving towards mapping the “Human Proteome”. The Human Proteome is simply a sequenced map of all Human Proteins.
Proteomics is seen as the next step in untangling the Human Species. But the task is far more complicated than mapping the Genome ever was. For starters, there are over 2 million different proteins with different functions, proteins do not stay in a constant state, and one of their differences is the Shape of the protein. This sounds simple enough, but when you consider you can drastically change the proteins in your body just by drinking a glass of wine for instance, the puzzle becomes apparent.
There are a few poorly funded groups that are organising co-operative research initiatives. However the irony is this; There was so much time and money invested into the Human Genome project, that it is still seen as the single key to unlocking the Human condition. The Human Genome is a well known brand that attracts more funding than the alternatives.
I think I’m going to take my misunderstood proteins to a marketing firm this weekend.
