2010 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2010. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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How can you tell what is changed in DNA? Can you use a microscope to see what is inserted/exerted?      David Bodine, M.D., Ph.D.: I investigate the genetics of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (PHSCs) to improve the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation and to find better ways to use these unique cells for gene replacement therapy. Sometimes you can see DNA changes under the microscope. If there are large parts of a chromosomes missing you can see that. If two chromosomes are connected, you can see that. However, most changes in DNA can be detected by sequencing DNA and comparing it to the known standard sequence in the Human Genome database. Shikellamy High School in PA (9th grade student)

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