Here's the info on GENOME for those interested:
Company Sequences Human Genome
By Randolph E. Schmid
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, April 6, 2000; 11:47 a.m. EDT
WASHINGTON ?? A private company striving to map the human
genetic code reported today that it has completed a major step in the
project ? decoding the pieces of DNA that make us what we are.
Celera Genomics of suburban Rockville, Md., said it has finished the first
phase of understanding one person's genetic code and will now begin to
assemble the genetic fragments into their proper order.
The human genome is a biological map laying out the exact sequence of
the estimated 3.5 billion pairs of chemicals that make up the DNA in each
human cell. Those chemicals are arranged in specific ways to create the
estimated 80,000 to 100,000 human genes, which in turn carry the
instructions for all the body's processes.
Think of it as a huge jigsaw puzzle. Celera uses what it calls a "shotgun
technique" to identify snippets of DNA, quickly accumulating lots of
genetic puzzle pieces that scientists then must fit together.
Fitting those pieces together is the crucial step and thus "the final, highly
accurate sequencing of the human genome by any group is probably still a
couple of years away," Dr. Francis Collins, who heads the nonprofit
Human Genome Project that also is racing to discover the full human
genetic code, told The Associated Press.
However, "I'm happy to hear that Celera has completed this part of their
business plan," Collins said. "We look forward to hearing how the
assembly process goes and ultimately seeing the sequence made available"
to the public.
Understanding the massive series of genes that provide the code for life
has been a major project for both private and public organizations for
several years, because it could serve as the foundation for developing new
medical cures and preventions.
Celera is a private company that is competing with government
researchers to decode the human genome. But to do so, it uses portions
of the genome already sequenced by the nonprofit Human Genome
Project, which posts on the Internet each bit of DNA it completes
decoding. The Human Genome Project has posted 2.3 billion subunits of
DNA that it has decoded on the Internet for use by any scientist.
In contrast to how Celera sequences DNA, the Human Genome Project
fits the genetic puzzle pieces together as they are discovered, accumulating
larger ? and what it calls more accurate ? pieces.
The Human Genome Project also expects to complete a "working draft"
of the genome later this year, and to publish a full genetic map on the
Internet by 2003.
Shares of PE Corp., the parent of Celera, shot up 23 percent this
morning, rising $26.43ó to $139.43ó on the New York Stock
Exchange.
President Clinton recently announced that the United States and Britain
have agreed to openly share data from their efforts to decode the human
genetic pattern. A U.S.-British statement urged private companies to
follow the lead of government laboratories in sharing data. Some
companies have shared data, while others have not.
Celera said its scientists have been working from both ends of the
complex double-stranded DNA that carries the genetic code, so it will
now have to reassemble the decoded genes in their proper order. This is
expected to be completed over the next few months, the company said in
a statement.
"We intend to complete and publish the human data in a form that is
consistent with the high-quality Drosophila genome," said J. Craig Venter,
Celera's president, referring to the completed sequencing of the genome of
a fruit fly that was published in the journal Science last month.
He said the human genome publication "is expected to allow researchers
worldwide and our subscribers to utilize our data to make important
medical advances."
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On the Net:
Human Genome Project Information:
ornl.gov
Celera Science site: celera.com
¸ Copyright 2000 The Associated Press
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