# Which human is The Human Genome from? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052 "2001-02-27T14:11:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/1 "2001-02-27T14:11:22Z")
In the Human Genome Project, is the DNA from a particular human? If so, who exactly was it – What is the name of this person? If not, how did they get the DNA… is it an edited section of one paritcular person, or some kind of amalgam of some people, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Doubleclick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Doubleclick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doubleclick)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/2 "2001-02-27T14:16:27Z")
IIRC, it isn’t from any ONE human, but different parts from different people. I also recall something about the Docs working on it do not know and can’t even find out. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/3 "2001-02-27T14:23:19Z")
From the [Human Genome Project website](http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/NEWS/human_genome_facts.html)FAQ: > [@](#): > > Whose DNA?: > > This is intentionally not known to protect the volunteers who provided DNA samples for sequencing. The sequence is derived from the DNA of several volunteers. To ensure that the identities of the volunteers cannot be revealed, a careful process was developed to recruit the volunteers and to collect and maintain the blood samples that were the source of the DNA. > > The volunteers responded to local public advertisements near the laboratories where the DNA “libraries” were prepared. Candidates were recruited from a diverse population. The volunteers provided blood samples after being extensively counseled and giving their informed consent. About five to 10 times as many volunteers donated blood as were eventually used, so that not even the volunteers would know whether their sample was used. All labels were removed before the actual samples to be used were chosen. The samples, without any information about the individual volunteers, were then transferred to a laboratory for construction of DNA clone libraries ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/4 "2001-02-27T14:24:00Z")
This is just a WAG, but… One would think that in order to get an accurate human genomic map, one would need to compare many, many, many sets of human DNA from an extremely genetically diverse group of people, otherwise you end up having all sorts of group-specific genetic traits in your map. ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/5 "2001-02-27T14:31:30Z")
IIRC one of the private companys that worked on it used the president of the company’s genes. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/6 "2001-02-27T14:42:21Z")
Thanks August (and others), I believe that answers me. Boy, that would have been a great trivia question! ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/7 "2001-02-27T15:05:02Z")
Indeed, the Genome Map published in Science indicates the density of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms–which could only be found by examining many specimens. My suspicion is that they used between twenty and thirty samples, on average, for any given part of the genome. [hijack]Have any of you seen the map? It’s about 3’ by 4’, and barely readable at that size. Extremely cool stuff. At least for us molecular biologists. :)[/hijack] LL ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/8 "2001-02-28T00:49:36Z")
One of my professors was actually involved in collecting some of the samples that ended up being used. For technical reasons, they were especially interested in people that came from very large families. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/9 "2001-02-28T01:37:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mongrel\_8 \* > \*\*IIRC one of the private companys that worked on it used the president of the company’s genes. \*\* Yeah, I mentioned the same rumor in [this very similar thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=59811), but is it true? I don’t know… is Mr. Venter is talking? ---
**Author:** ![Deimos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Deimos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deimos)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/10 "2001-02-28T04:50:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LazarusLong42 \* > \*\* > [hijack]Have any of you seen the map? It’s about 3’ by 4’, and barely readable at that size. Extremely cool stuff. At least for us molecular biologists. :)[/hijack] > > LL \*\* hey Laz, do you know where i can find a copy of it? i’m thinking it’d look pretty nifty on my wall. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/11 "2001-02-28T07:09:47Z")
Nature has printed up a supply of extra magazines to be given away free - it has the 3’x4’ chart in it. Go to their site and see if the offer is still open. You’ll probably get their site by checking with a search engine. Jois ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/12 "2001-02-28T08:30:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arken \* > \*\*This is just a WAG, but… > > One would think that in order to get an accurate human genomic map, one would need to compare many, many, many sets of human DNA from an extremely genetically diverse group of people, otherwise you end up having all sorts of group-specific genetic traits in your map. \*\* Well, there’s not that much group specificity in the humanity, so this is something less of an issue that it might seem. But the samples were relatively large and diverse. ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/13 "2001-02-28T21:28:13Z")
Interesting side issue - apparently a company can patent the genes of a private person whose genes are being studied. This would allow them to charge other companies for using the information contained therein. There was a report on 60 Minutes about a guy who had a gene mutation that may have made him immune to AIDS. The research center that studied him has filed for a patent on his gene. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-human-is-the-human-genome-from/56052/14 "2001-03-01T01:18:54Z")
You can get a copy of the genome map from Nature magazine, with a subscription to the magazine. The web page and all the info: [http://www.nature.com/nature/](http://www.nature.com/nature/)