On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome
Abstract Objective Basic parameters commonly used to describe genomes including length, weight and relative guanine-cytosine (GC) content are widely cited in absence of a primary source. By using updated data and original software we determined these values to the best of our knowledge as standard r...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Research Notes |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4137-z |
| _version_ | 1828431102068391936 |
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| author | Allison Piovesan Maria Chiara Pelleri Francesca Antonaros Pierluigi Strippoli Maria Caracausi Lorenza Vitale |
| author_facet | Allison Piovesan Maria Chiara Pelleri Francesca Antonaros Pierluigi Strippoli Maria Caracausi Lorenza Vitale |
| author_sort | Allison Piovesan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Basic parameters commonly used to describe genomes including length, weight and relative guanine-cytosine (GC) content are widely cited in absence of a primary source. By using updated data and original software we determined these values to the best of our knowledge as standard reference for the whole human nuclear genome, for each chromosome and for mitochondrial DNA. We also devised a method to calculate the relative GC content in the whole messenger RNA sequence set and in transcriptomes by multiplying the GC content of each gene by its mean expression level. Results The male nuclear diploid genome extends for 6.27 Gigabase pairs (Gbp), is 205.00 cm (cm) long and weighs 6.41 picograms (pg). Female values are 6.37 Gbp, 208.23 cm, 6.51 pg. The individual variability and the implication for the DNA informational density in terms of bits/volume were discussed. The genomic GC content is 40.9%. Following analysis in different transcriptomes and species, we showed that the greatest deviation was observed in the pathological condition analysed (trisomy 21 leukaemic cells) and in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results may represent a solid basis for further investigation on human structural and functional genomics while also providing a framework for other genome comparative analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:58:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2aed8282179d401db795a5e2d7682b4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-0500 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:58:08Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Research Notes |
| spelling | doaj.art-2aed8282179d401db795a5e2d7682b4e2022-12-22T01:38:52ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002019-02-011211710.1186/s13104-019-4137-zOn the length, weight and GC content of the human genomeAllison Piovesan0Maria Chiara Pelleri1Francesca Antonaros2Pierluigi Strippoli3Maria Caracausi4Lorenza Vitale5Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaDepartment of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Unit of Histology, Embryology and Applied Biology, University of BolognaAbstract Objective Basic parameters commonly used to describe genomes including length, weight and relative guanine-cytosine (GC) content are widely cited in absence of a primary source. By using updated data and original software we determined these values to the best of our knowledge as standard reference for the whole human nuclear genome, for each chromosome and for mitochondrial DNA. We also devised a method to calculate the relative GC content in the whole messenger RNA sequence set and in transcriptomes by multiplying the GC content of each gene by its mean expression level. Results The male nuclear diploid genome extends for 6.27 Gigabase pairs (Gbp), is 205.00 cm (cm) long and weighs 6.41 picograms (pg). Female values are 6.37 Gbp, 208.23 cm, 6.51 pg. The individual variability and the implication for the DNA informational density in terms of bits/volume were discussed. The genomic GC content is 40.9%. Following analysis in different transcriptomes and species, we showed that the greatest deviation was observed in the pathological condition analysed (trisomy 21 leukaemic cells) and in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results may represent a solid basis for further investigation on human structural and functional genomics while also providing a framework for other genome comparative analysis.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4137-zHuman genomeGenome lengthGenome weightGC contentMitochondrial DNA |
| spellingShingle | Allison Piovesan Maria Chiara Pelleri Francesca Antonaros Pierluigi Strippoli Maria Caracausi Lorenza Vitale On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome BMC Research Notes Human genome Genome length Genome weight GC content Mitochondrial DNA |
| title | On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome |
| title_full | On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome |
| title_fullStr | On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome |
| title_short | On the length, weight and GC content of the human genome |
| title_sort | on the length weight and gc content of the human genome |
| topic | Human genome Genome length Genome weight GC content Mitochondrial DNA |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-019-4137-z |
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