genoom

Genoom is the term used in Dutch to denote the complete set of genetic material present in an organism or cell, the equivalent of the English genome. A genoom includes all genes as well as the noncoding sequences and regulatory elements that govern gene expression. It also encompasses the genetic material in organelles such as mitochondria; in plants, chloroplast genomes are included as well. In many species, the genoom is organized into chromosomes. Prokaryotes typically have a single circular chromosome, while eukaryotes carry multiple linear chromosomes within a nucleus; mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own small genomes separate from nuclear DNA.

Genome size varies widely. Humans have about 3.2 to 3.3 billion base pairs and roughly 20,000 to 25,000 protein-coding genes. Bacterial genomes are smaller, while plant and animal genomes can be much larger due to repetitive sequences.

Sequencing and analysis: Genomic projects aim to read the entire genoom and to annotate genes, regulatory regions, repeats, and variants. Modern approaches use high-throughput sequencing and computational assembly and annotation to produce reference genome assemblies for research, medicine, and agriculture.

Applications: Genoom information supports studies of development, evolution, and disease; underpins personalized medicine, crop improvement, and forensics. The field of genomics studies genoom structure and function, including comparative genomics across species.

Etymology: The word genoom derives from Greek genos 'origin' and the suffix -ome, used in many languages for a complete set.