The mystery surrounding human genetics is slowly unraveling as the first step of the Human Genome Project was completed and released on Dec. 1 to the public.

Researchers from the United States, Britain and Japan identified all of the 545 genes in chromosome 22, the second smallest of the 23 pairs of human chromosomes.

“By having the sequencing project, we get to know what they all are,” said Alan Myers, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology. “It tells us important information about what genes are in us.”

The $3-billion project will attempt to identify all of the 75,000 to 100,000 genes that exist. The genes on chromosome 22 represent roughly 2 percent of the total number that will be identified.

“This is just one step of a long process,” Myers said.

Many diseases, including schizophrenia, deafness and heart disease, have a genetic component linked to the chromosome, which professor of agriculture Max Rothschild said could be a step in finding a cure.

“There were several disease genes on chromosome 22, so that gives us a clue on how to treat those diseases,” Rothschild said.

Myers said he thinks this is the first step in a long process of research that could eventually lead to finding cures.

“They have information about how those diseases work that they didn’t have before. Over the long run, it’s going to be essential information for curing specific diseases,” Myers said. “This information by itself isn’t enough.”

In addition to finding cures, the information may further scientific advancement in other areas such as agriculture, where resources for research tend to be limited.

Allen Miller, professor of plant pathology, said the work done in human genomic research can be applied to crop genes because the human genome is similar in size to the corn genome.

“The methods that are being developed will be applied to genomes of agronomically important crops,” Miller said. “Humans and plants have a lot in common.”

Using comparative genomics, Rothschild said this also will unravel the genetic secrets of other animals.

“The information we find into the human genome will help us unveil the genetic secrets of livestock,” Rothschild said.

This issue has not been without controversy. Many people are concerned with the idea of messing with Mother Nature, which Myers said scientists have always done.

“As soon as plants moved from wild plants to agriculture, we have been messing with genes,” Myers said. “There’s potential for a lot of benefits in the area of health. It would be foolish to not use these potential benefits.”

Miller agreed that genetic research is necessary to find advancements in the medical field.

“There are always people who say if man was meant to fly, we would have wings,” Miller said. “I just think that it’s necessary. The medical benefits are potentially so great that it’s obviously something we should do.”