Why is the Human Genome Project important?
Newspaper headlines, such as the above, reflect the important role gene hunters play. But to talk about ‘breast cancer genes’ or the ‘cystic fibrosis gene’ is slightly misleading; the genes that cause human genetic diseases are actually a vital part of our bodies – but when they go wrong (usually by mutation), some aspect of body function is compromised, and the symptom of the disease becomes apparent. Everyone has a copy of the ‘cystic fibrosis’ gene, for example, but in most people it produces a protein vital to the activities of cells lining the lung. Unfortunately, a small number of people have a defective copy of the gene – so they do not produce a working protein – leading to the classic feature of cystic fibrosis: the build up of sticky mucus in the lungs. Genetic disorders place considerable health and economic burdens not only on affected people and their families, but also on the community as a whole. As many of the diseases caused by microbes and poor nutrition have come und
