The DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI) surpassed its sequencing goal of 20 Mb of human DNA for FY 1998, marking almost a tenfold increase in production over the previous year.
"With this milestone, JGI rises to third position worldwide in terms of its total contribution of human DNA sequence to public databases and signals great promise for completion of the entire [Human Genome] project in 5 years," noted Martha Krebs, Director of the DOE Office of Science.
Further dramatic increases are expected as JGI's main sequencing efforts move to its new facility in Walnut Creek, California, half of which has just been occupied. When the second half is completed in March 2000, about 200 staff members will maintain around-the-clock operations.
JGI's sequencing goal for the current fiscal year is 70 Mb, including 30 million "finished" bases and 40 million "draft" bases. ["Finished" sequence has been checked for accuracy, with gaps filled in to form a continuous stretch of DNA across a chromosomal region.] The JGI sequencing effort is targeting chromosomes 5, 16, and 19.
"We are seeking to break the 100-Mb barrier in the year 2000," said JGI Director Elbert Branscomb. With 1998 worldwide sequencing capacity at about 200 Mb per year, all major sequencing laboratories are ramping up production. At least 600 Mb of sequence is expected for 1999.
JGI, established at the end of 1996, is a consortium of scientists, engineers, and support staff from the Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, and Los Alamos national laboratories |
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