Progress in genoma sequencing
Significant advances have been made in the development of analytical approaches to analyze the different cell products, like proteins and metabolites. The analytical disciplines involved are:
• Genomics: the study of gene pool.
• Transcriptomics: the study of gene expression.
• Proteomics: the study of the protein pool.
• Metabolomics: the study of the metabolite pool.
GENOMICS
The term genome is used to describe all the genes in an organism. The genome is not influenced by either cell type or internal or external changes. This discipline is focused on sequencing the DNA in an organism to form a complete picture and then identifying specific genes in sequence. It is necessary transcriptomics and proteomics to know how a cell or organism actually function.
TRANSCRIPTOMICS
The transcriptomics is the complete set of mRNA transcribed from the genome (DNA) in a cell.
The process of transcribing genes into mRNA is known as gene expression. Thanscriptomics is the analysis of the genes that have been expressed in a cell. Studying the expression profile of a gene can provide information on its role in a cell.
PROTEOMICS
The proteome is the complete set of proteins that can be produced by a cell / organism at any given time. The amount of any protein produced depends on the gene it is transcribed from and on the physiological state of the cell. Cells respond to internal and external changes by adapting the level and activity of proteins they produce. Proteomics is the study of all these proteins. As proteins are involved in almost every cellular process, proteomics can provide a comprehensive picture of a cell’s state. Proteomics can also confirm the presence or absence of a specific protein and the amount present.
METABOLOMICS
The metabolomics consists of all the likely small molecules that can originate from cellular process.
Metabolomics is the study of changes in concentration, interaction and location of these metabolites.
The profile can be used to describe the physiological state of a cell / organism and its responses to genetic and environmental changes.
Font: www.defra.gov.uk/fera/jifsan2012
