The US National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has launched a new project to develop the best ways to identify and locate the 'useful' genetic information within the human genome. Dubbed ENCODE (the Encyclopedia of DNA elements)}, the research will allow scientists to 'learn how things work and how things cause disease', according to program director Peter Good.
Scientists completed a rough draft of the entire human genome nearly three years ago, with a final 'gold standard' version to be unveiled later this year. But it is estimated that only around five per cent of the human genetic code is functional, that is, encoding genes and their associated 'on-off switches'. The ENCODE pilot project, costing $12 million, will attempt to identify the most efficient way of pinpointing all these functional elements. 'When the Human Genome Project ends, everything begins' said genome scientist Eric Green.
NHGRI has also recently pledged half the cost of a proposed $50 million project to sequence the cow genome. 'By comparing the human genome with the genomes of different organisms, we can better understand the structure and function of human genes and thereby develop new strategies in the battle against human disease' said NHGRI director Francis Collins. The cow genome project will also benefit the beef and dairy industries, by helping producers selectively breed cattle with certain traits.
Sources and References
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Post-genome project launches
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NIH plans to sequence cow genome
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US launches project to sequence cattle genome
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