Metagenomic Research Utilizing Diversa's Patented Technology Published in Current Issue of Science
Thursday April 21, 5:02 pm ET
SAN DIEGO, April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Diversa Corporation (Nasdaq: DVSA - News) announced today publication of research in the April 22, 2005 issue of Science demonstrating for the first time that microbial DNA can be used to accurately diagnose the health and vitality of any type of environment.
The research, led by the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) in collaboration with Diversa, makes it possible to create DNA-based metabolic profiles of rivers, lakes, streams, farmlands, and even the world's oceans, as well as to use those profiles to determine levels of pollution, monitor specific areas undergoing remediation, or assess animal and human health.
"In the simplest terms, we could take a sample of soil in the wine country of Northern California and tell you whether it is best for growing merlot or pinot noir grapes," stated Jay M. Short, Ph.D., Diversa's President and Chief Executive Officer. "At the same time, you could monitor and track the very subtle leakage of toxins from a hazardous waste site into a nearby community or analyze a sample from an animal to diagnose the health of its gastrointestinal tract. Using this technology, it is now possible to sequence the biosphere in the same manner as a human, which can potentially lead to the development of new products for a range of applications, from animal health products to novel pharmaceuticals."
DOE officials regard the ability to take metabolic profiles, detailed in the Science publication, as a new milestone in genomics, comparable to breakthroughs made in the early 1990s that revolutionized the search for human and animal genes and made it possible to sequence the human genome. The collaborative study used powerful technologies to create the metabolic profiles of highly diverse environments. For this study and others that are ongoing, Diversa granted a research license to the DOE JGI for its patented method of sequencing mixed populations of microbial DNA directly from the environment.
DOE JGI then used its powerful gene sequencing process, continuously refined since the completion of the federally funded Human Genome Project, to decode the DNA fragments, called Environmental Genome Tags (EGTs), captured by Diversa's screening tools. The EGTs reflect the level of diversity of microbial populations and the different gene families that are present in environmental samples. After sequencing, the EGT information was combined to form a broader metabolic picture of an entire ecosystem.
"EGT fingerprints may be able to offer fundamental insights into the factors impacting on various environments," said DOE JGI Director Dr. Eddy Rubin, who led the research team. "With EGTs we don't actually need a complete genome's worth of data to understand the functions required of the organisms living in a particular setting. Rather, the genes present and their abundances in the EGT data reflect the demands of the setting and, accordingly, can tell us about what's happening in an environment without knowing the identities of the microbes living there."
Over the past 10 years, Diversa scientists have developed the molecular tools that make it possible to capture and recover nearly 100 percent of the DNA from microorganisms residing in samples of soil, air, water, plants, and animals in different environments throughout the world. The company has created more than 2,500 metagenomic libraries comprising millions of genomes using these tools.
About Diversa
Diversa Corporation is a leader in applying proprietary genomic technologies for the rapid discovery and optimization of novel protein-based products. The Company is directing its integrated portfolio of technologies to the discovery, evolution, and production of commercially valuable molecules with agricultural, chemical, industrial, and pharmaceutical applications. Diversa has established alliances and joint ventures with market leaders, such as Bayer Animal Health, Cargill Health and Food Technologies, DuPont Bio-Based Materials, GlaxoSmithKline, Medarex, Merck, and Xoma. In addition, the Company has formed a broad strategic relationship with Syngenta AG, a world- leading agribusiness company. Diversa has commercialized products both independently and in collaboration with strategic partners and licensees. Additional information is available at Diversa's website: www.diversa.com. |
