Genomes

Abstract

A genome represents all the genetic information required for an organism to grow, function, and reproduce. For vertebrates, genetic information is passed from parent to offspring. The nuclear genome, the largest part of the human genome, is produced when both parents contribute half of their genetic information to offspring. The mitochondrial genome, which is significantly smaller than the nuclear genome, is contributed solely along the maternal line. Based on extensive studies of both genomes over many decades, scientists know how genetic information is transmitted on chromosomes, where many genes are located on chromosomes, and how some DNA sequences relate to genes. Intensive study of the human genome began in the 1990s and work is ongoing in an effort to gain further knowledge about the human genome, its variability, and what evolutionary forces have contributed to the modern human genome.