On January 10th, 2000, Celera Genomics Group held a press conference announcing that it has succeeded in sequencing 90% of the human genome. Currently the Human Genome Project's web-site states that its version of the sequence is currently 47% complete. One might ask the question: how is it possible that a private corporation that has only existed since September of 1998, has succeeded in leapfrogging a multi-national public effort which has been working on the human genome for nearly a decade?

The answer is simply that Celera (a division of Perkins-Elmer, a manufacturer of scientific instruments) uses a completely different technique than the Human Genome Project (HGP). Their technique, called the whole-genome shotgun sequencing method, is able to process large amounts of data more quickly than the HGP. Their work is speeded up by an enormous array of super computers that deal with the entirety of the genetic sequence simultaneously, rather than working systematically end to end. "Shotgun sequencing," was developed by Dr. Craig Venter, co-founder and president of Celera Genomics, and Dr. Ham Smith, a Nobel Laureate, in 1994.

The technique consists of splitting human chromosomes randomly into millions pieces 2,000 and 10,000 base pairs long. These pieces are then propagated in E. coli cells to produce copies of each fragment. These are then sequenced and assembled using proprietary genome assembly algorithms. It was first utilized at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), an independent, non-profit research institute founded by Venter. With government funding, they were able to use the technique to sequence many complete genomic sequences at TIGR, including those of Hemophilus influenza and malaria.

While much faster than the technique employed by the HGP, the data yielded is thinner and contains less information about the function of each sequenced gene. The possible benefit is that pharmaceutical companies will be able to use the information immediately to develop improved medicines and therapies for diseases. However, in the words of Dr. Maynard Olson before Congress in 1998, "I, frankly, am a skeptic that the approaches as publicly described will lead to a product of sufficient quality to meet the long term needs of the scientific community." Right now, in early 2000, it is difficult to tell since the human genome data has not been released. The potential difference in the data embodies the different long-term goals of Celera Genomics and the Human Genome Project.

Whereas the goal of the Human Genome Project is simply to develop a complete and highly accurate human genomic sequence that will be available to the public, Celera is a private, for-profit entity with a different set of concerns. Their primary responsibility is to their investors; therefore their technique is wed to a well-developed business plan. Part of this plan is to hold portions of their data in reserve so that specific genes may be patented. The patented sequences will then be licensed to drug-discovery companies, which will be able to use the information to their advantage. Some observers, including Jeremy Rifkin, President of the Foundation on Economic trends, have noted that such an arrangement may lead to an enormous increase in the cost of medication. Also at issue is the question of whether or not U.S. Patent laws, designed to protect inventions, extend to scientific discoveries. These are important questions that will need to be answered soon in order to form the basis of future private/public collaborative efforts.

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