UK claims European lead in genomics
The Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has received additional UK Government funding for genomics research in recognition of the UK's European lead in the sciences and of the potential of genomics for new industrial processes, products and enhanced quality of life. Genomics is the science and technology that translates information about the DNA sequences of genes into an understanding of their function and behaviour. It has been dubbed 'the new biology', and promises to identify functions in plants, animals and microbes that can be exploited in biology-based fundamental research and industries. The "post-genome" challenge of interpreting the vast amount of new data coming from genome analysis could impact upon several areas, including pharmaceuticals, crop and animal productivity, food safety, environmental clean-up and biotechnological products from plants and microbes. Campylobacter jejuni is a formidable pathogen. It is one of the world's most successful food-poisoning bacteria and is probably responsible for more than twice as many cases of poisoning as Salmonella. Until recently, however, there has been relatively little research into how the bacterium is so virulent, but work in the UK is beginning to shed some light on the problem. C. jejuni is thought to have 1700 genes. Genomics is being used to explore the activity of individual genes and to look at the variety of proteins produced by the organism when it faces different environmental challenges. The adaptability of C. jejuni has been put down to a powerful set of regulatory genes that enable it to change its metabolism rapidly depending on its environment, for example whether it is in contaminated raw chicken, or residing in the human gut. Already information about the sequence of C. jejuni is providing some clues that might account for at least some of its success as a pathogen. Over 33 percent of its genes have no known counterparts in other organisms and, in particular, it appears not to have any of the genes corresponding to key virulence factors identified in other pathogens, suggesting an unusual and possibly unique plan of attack. In addition, it does seem to have several copies of a gene that codes for an enzyme that causes changes to its outside coating. This could provide an important clue to how it manages to infect so efficiently, by generating a constantly changing disguise to hide it from its host defences. The C. jejuni project is funded under the BBSRC's new programme on the Biology of Foodborne Pathogens. A collaboration between Europe and America has generated a collection of gene sequences for the plant-gene model Arabidopsis, which is being analyzed by "smart screens" to identify gene function. This work is currently being applied to the major cereals, which conveniently have near identical gene order and similar gene sequences. "Today, we can guess at the function of less than a third of plant gene sequences," said Dr Keith Edwards from the Institute of Arable Crops Research - Long Ashton Research Station. "But, by using functional genomics developed for Arabidopsis, we should soon be able to predict the role of key genes in the major cereals." The maize plant, in particular, is proving a gold mine for identifying gene function, and Dr Edwards's research group has established a "gene machine" to help identify and study genes of particular interest. One line of research is investigating single genes that directly control activities, such as the transport of potassium ions or the production of the protein component of the cell scaffolding (tubulin). But the scientists are also looking at plants where the activity of a gene that controls a cascade of other functions has been affected by insertion of a section of DNA called the mutator transposon. One set of mutants generated using this sequence has turned out to be a good mimic of important diseases in maize. A better understanding of how key plant genes function will help scientists to combat plant diseases, and may lead to new ways of utilising plants as mini-factories to generate new products such as vaccines, plastics and oils for industrial use. The cereals work is supported by the BBSRC's Genome Analysis of Agriculturally Important Traits initiative.
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