THE GENOME PROJECT: FROM MICROBES TO MAN

Celera Genomics, 45 W. Gude Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 USA

The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) has interests in structural, functional and comparative analysis of genomes and gene products in viruses, eubacteria, pathogenic bacteria, archea, and eukaryotes, both plant and animal, including humans. Researchers at TIGR developed Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) sequencing for the discovery and mapping of human genes. TIGR was also first to sequence a complete microbial genome, Haemophilus influenzae. With the successful sequencing of the H. influenzae genome in its entirety, it became apparent that the DNA of entire complex organisms many megabases in size could be accurately and rapidly sequenced by using a "shotgun" sequencing strategy. This landmark event has been followed with six additional genomes, Mycoplasma genitalium, Methanococcus jannaschii - a deep-sea, hyperbaric, thermophilic, methanogenic Archaean, Helicobacter pylori - the causative agent of gastric ulcers, Archaeoglobus fulgidus - a cause of deep-sea oil well souring, Borrelia burgdorferi - which causes Lyme disease, and Treponema pallidum – the spirochete that causes syphilus. Knowing the complete genome of pathogens will open up exciting opportunities to develop novel pharmaceuticals, biologics, and vaccines. TIGR is also actively involved in other eukaryotics including sequencing Plasmodium falciparum which causes malaria and Arabidopsis thaliana which has rapidly become the model organism for plant biologists. Human sequencing efforts at TIGR have focused on chromosome 16p. Across species, nearly half of the candidate genes that have been identified cannot be assigned a biological role. At Celera Genomics we have set our goal to become the definitive source of genomic and associated medical information that will be used by scientists to develop a better understanding of the biological processes in humans and deliver improved healthcare in the future. Using breakthrough DNA analysis technology being developed by Perkin-Elmer's Applied Biosystems Division, applied to sequencing strategies pioneered at TIGR, the company will operate a genomics sequencing facility with an expected capacity greater than that of the current combined world output. The new company plans to make sequencing data publicly available to ensure that as many researchers as possible are examining it and that applications, such as the development of diagnostic tests and new drug discovery, are as broad as possible.