So far, researchers have mapped the genome of several different organisms, including a yeast, a worm, a fruit fly and a few dozen bacteria. In December 2000, a concerted effort by researchers around the world yielded the full genome map of Arabidopsis thaliana, a weedy relative of the canola plant that is a valuable model for plant science research. Another international effort, the Human Genome Project, has produced the first rough draft of the more than 100,000 genes that contain the instruction set for Homo sapiens human beings. It s a long way from having the index of a book to knowing the recipe on every page. This is where the study of proteins proteomics comes in.
Genes don t do anything by themselves except hold the blueprints for proteins.
In addition, while there are in the order of 100,000 genes, there are probably millions of different proteins. They come in a multitude of different forms, from muscle tissue to enzymes and hormones that regulate body functions. Chemically, a protein is a complex molecule, composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and usually, sulphur. Some proteins also incorporate phosphorous, iron, zinc and copper. These basic elements combine into molecules called amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.