Okay - this is more of a straight question that an invitation to a debate, though perhaps it has legs; I don't know. I'm sure the answer's out there and relatively easy to get hold of, but I'm simply having no luck because I don't know where to look.
I was just reading in a recent New Scientist about the possibility that the neanderthal genome might soon be sequenced. This sounds very exciting, but it got me wondering again about something I really don't understand when it comes to genome sequencing, namely:
What does it mean to have a sequenced genome? Especially when it might be that this information might be derived from only a couple of specimens, as in the neanderthal investigation. They are only going to have the genetic sequence from an individual, or at best, a tiny selection of the total neanderthal population.
Is the genome the genes that are shared by all individuals of a population at any one time? If so, and if every individual is host to a handful of mutations,
how do you know what genes are shared by all by looking only at a couple?
Also, it presumably wouldn't be possible to reconstruct a creature from a "genome blueprint" because it hasn't got all the genetic information because it is missing some of the random stuff unique to individuals.
Alternatively, when we say we have the chimp genome, do we simply have a few snapshots from different chimps? This would mean that I don't "agree" with the human genome, because I wasn't a part of the sample from which they deduced the human genome (not as far as I know, anyway).
If anyone can put me straight I'd be grateful.
As for topic destination, I thought there was a question forum, but there doesn't seem to be. I guess this would be Miscelanious then? But whereever you think is best really.
ABE - I should note that I have read what wikipedia has to say, for example - but it doesn't seem to directly address my point.(ABE - though it comes closest in the Genomes and Genetic Variation section)
Edited by Tusko, : No reason given.
Edited by Tusko, : No reason given.