Sequencing of chromosome 13 and 19

From: Michael Ragland (ragland37_at_webtv.net)
Date: 06/23/04 

Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 16:06:43 +0000 (UTC)

Sequencing of 2 chromosomes completed
Genes contain information on cancer, diabetes and more

LONDON - Scientists have completed the final analysis of two more human
chromosomes, packed with genetic information about cancer, diabetes and
other diseases, in a major step toward developing personalized
antidotes.
Chromosome 19 with nearly 1,500 genes, including ones linked to
inherited high cholesterol and insulin-resistant diabetes, is the most
gene-dense of those sequenced so far.
By contrast chromosome 13 has one of the lowest concentrations of genes
with only 633. But they include the BRCA2 gene linked to breast cancer
and others for the eye tumor retinoblastoma, bipolar disorder and
schizophrenia.

"Having this sort of information out there is going to make life so much
easier for a lot of people," said Dr. Andrew Dunham, of the Wellcome
Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, which mapped chromosome 13.

Sequences available on the Internet

An international team of scientists has already sequenced the human
genome, the complete list of coded instructions needed to make a person.
I
The sequences of chromosomes 19 and 13, which are published in the
latest edition of the science journal Nature, will be freely available
on the Internet.

Although chromosome 13 has a relatively small number of genes, Dunham
said its barren areas may hold secrets and could control gene activity.

"We have a clear image of regions that do not code for genes, but are
shared with other species, and it is clear that some of these will
encode regulatory messages," he said in an interview.
I
Chromosome 19, which was sequenced by scientists from the U.S.
Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and Stanford University in
California, represents about two percent of the human genome but has
plenty of genes.
A network of genes that control DNA repair after exposure to radiation
and other environmental pollutants are located on chromosome 19.

"With this high quality sequence now made freely available to the
scientific community, more light will be shed on individual responses to
medicine," said U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham in a statement.

"This will enable the development of more sensitive diagnostics for
susceptibility to a wide array of important diseases," he said.

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited.

A professor asked a student, "If you had a choice between the oppressed
and the oppressor which would you choose." The student replied,
"Neither". The Professor shook his head and stated, "You don't have a
choice." The student paused and said, "The oppressed".

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