Meaning & use
human genome
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Meanings
nouncountablebiology
The complete set of genetic instructions found in human cells, made of about three billion DNA base pairs.
Grammar: Usually with the: the human genome was mapped; an is used for one person's: each person has a human genome.
Patterns
- sequence the human genome
- the human genome project
Scientists finished mapping the human genome in 2003.
The human genome contains around twenty thousand protein-coding genes.
Every cell in your body carries a copy of your human genome.
nouncountabletechnical
The genetic makeup of one particular person, as read from their own DNA.
Grammar: Takes an or a possessive when it refers to an individual: her genome, a human genome.
Patterns
- sequence someone's genome
- a person's genome
The clinic can sequence a patient's genome in a few days.
His genome showed a rare variant linked to the disease.
Each human genome differs slightly from every other.
Word forms
| plural | human genomes |
|---|
Common combinations
- sequence the human genome
- It took years to sequence the human genome.
- map the human genome
- The project aimed to map the human genome.
- the Human Genome Project
- The Human Genome Project involved labs in several countries.
- edit the human genome
- Editing the human genome raises ethical questions.
- variation in the human genome
- Variation in the human genome explains some risk of disease.
Synonyms and how they differ
- DNA
- DNA is the molecule itself, while the genome is the complete set of the genetic material it carries.
- genetic code
- Genetic code refers to the rules for translating DNA into proteins, which is narrower than the whole genome.
- gene pool
- Gene pool describes all genes in a population, whereas the genome belongs to a single organism or species.
Word family
Commonly confused: human genome or gene? human genome or chromosome?
human genome vs gene
A gene is one small section of DNA, while the genome is the entire set of genes and other DNA.
human genome vs chromosome
A chromosome is a single package of DNA; the genome is all the chromosomes together.
Practice
What does the human genome refer to?
Choose one answer.
The human genome is the whole set of human DNA instructions. A gene is only one part, and the science of heredity is genetics.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “human genome”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.