Huge Scientific Project to Sequence Creatures’ Genome within 10 Years

[The SC]

Human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), computer illustration.Photo: AFP / Science photo library

A huge international scientific project aims to sequence the biological code (genome) of all creatures on this planet within 10 years.

Under the supervision of US biologists, leaders of the “Earth BioGenome Project (EBP)” will work to uncover over 15 million genes (genome sequencing). The approximate cost of the project is $4.7 billion.

Harris A. Lewin, from the University of California and an international consortium of researchers, described their project in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists said their project is like “a new moon landing in biology”, and described the creatures’ genome as 'the dark matter' of biology, in reference to the black matter found in the deep space that remains a mystery to astronomers.

A project to map the entire human genome ran from 1990 to 2003. Today, researchers seek to collect the genomes of almost all the eukaryotic species, which have all their genetic data hidden in the nucleus. Eukaryotic species include all plants, animals, and unicellular organisms. Researchers said that only 0.2 percent of creatures have had their genomes sequenced till this date.

Scientists know about 1.5 million organisms of eukaryotic species so far. According to estimates, the planet features about 10 to 15 million species, mostly unicellular organisms, like insects and small marine animals.
The researchers plan to document the genome of all known and unknown species. It is noteworthy that the bacteria and archaea are not classified among eukaryotic species.

Gene Robinson, from the University of Illinois said “Genomics has helped scientists develop new medicines and new sources of renewable energy, feed a growing population, protect the environment and support human survival and well-being.”

Scientists believe that having more genetic data will lead to new scientific developments. The supporters of this idea see such projects have a great economic impact, referring to the Human Genome Project, which they believe it generated around about 140 times the amount of money the United States had invested in it.

However, according to Robinson, economy is not among the researchers’ top priorities, as the new project will allow them to study the history of genetics, and the biodiversity will help them understand how to survive on the planet.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that around 23,000 species are at extinction risk, the German News Agency reported.

To achieve their goal, Lewin, Robinson and their colleagues have not only linked the projects whose owners are trying to know the genetic sequence of larger living organisms, but will also cooperate with scientific institutions specialized in species conservation.

“The world’s botanical garden collections hold more than a third of all plant species,” said Robinson, who is betting with researchers on receiving help from people interested in scientific research, and the discovery of new species and samples. Researchers also hope to benefit from robots on land, sea and air to collect genetic material.

Sequencing the genome of a living creature costs about $1,000, the researchers said. They expect this cost to drop continuously in line with the ongoing scientific and technical progress. Researchers dream of creating a 200 million gigabyte database that will be accessible to all researchers worldwide, thanks to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Data.

Scientists expect “this science to be an introduction for future discoveries, and to ultimately determine the reason behind survival on Earth." The Nagoya International Convention on the Environment came into force in 2014. It sets the international framework for the access of genetic data sources. The treaty aims at equitably dividing the benefits of the utilization of genetic data as well as effectively encountering attempts of hacking vital data.

Source: University of California