Note: This factsheet has been designed as a post-session handout for learners taking part in a Genomics Game session, but can also be used as learning resources in other settings. See the full collection here.
Key facts
- The genome is all the DNA in a cell. A copy of your genome can be found in nearly every cell in your body.
- All living organisms have a genome. Most are made up of DNA apart from some virus genomes, which are made of a similar molecule called RNA.
- A genome contains all the information needed to build that organism and allow it to grow and develop.
- The study of genomes is called genomics. Genetics is the study of individual genes.
- Whole genome sequencing is a technique used to read or map an individual’s genome.
Did you know?
- The human genome is complex and, in most cases, unique to the individual.
- Most of your DNA is found in the nucleus of the cell, but some is located in the mitochondria, which are the ‘batteries’ that power the cell.
- DNA sequencing can look at a small part of a genome or all 3 billion letters in a whole genome.
- The first human genome took 13 years to sequence. Today, this can be achieved in about a day. Analysing all this information takes a lot longer, however.
Find out more
Watch our animation: What is a genome?
