Resources
Using Bioinformatics to Understand Genetic Diseases: A Practical Guide
Author(s): Marie-Claude Blatter1, Patricia Palagi1, Teresa Attwood2
1. SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva, Lausanne (CH). 2. School of Computer Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (UK)
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Description
This Practical Guide outlines a number of basic bioinformatics approaches that can be used to understand the molecular basis of genet- ic diseases. A rare variation in the insulin gene is discussed, and the impact of the variation on the gene product, and how this results in disease, is explored.
This Guide introduces a range of commonly used bioinformatics tools and databases with which to analyse both DNA and protein se- quences, and protein structures. On reading the Guide and completing the exercises, you will be able to:
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investigate the locations of genes on the human genome using a genome browser;
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compare DNA sequences using an alignment tool;
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>translate a DNA sequence into its protein product;
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search a protein structure database, and visualise the 3D structure of insulin; and
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infer whether insulin is specific to humans by using protein sequence database search tools.
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
- Blatter, M., Palagi, P., Attwood, T. (2020). Using Bioinformatics to Understand Genetic Diseases: A Practical Guide. Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/DWYN-MX54