Post 59: How many proteins does the human genome have? 🧬
Published:
The number of genes we have has changed over time, and consequently, so has the number of proteins. In the 80s, it was predicted that we would have around 100,000 genes, as we were considered “the most evolved species.” However, with the first human genomes obtained in 2001, this estimate dropped to about 30,000 to 40,000 genes.
Due to the technology of that time, the genomes turned out to be very fragmented. Furthermore, over the years, we realized that defining what a gene is very complicated; many DNA fragments have been discovered that, while not coding for a protein, have a regulatory function at the genomic level in DNA or RNA.
It was only in 2022 that we managed to completely sequence the human genome thanks to technological advancements. We now know that we have about 63,494 genes, and only 31% of them (i.e., 19,969) code for proteins. The video shows 19,200 of them, equivalent to 96% of the total.
So when you think, “I need someone to support me, I don’t like to work,” remember that about 20,000 proteins keep us alive.
Refs:
- Current state of the human genome
- Complete sequencing of the human genome
- Original figure in high resolution (by Kresten Lindorff-Larsen)
And more figures:
Note: Text originally published on 08/13/2024.