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Shortcuts from gene sequence to function

Nature Biotechnology volume 17, pages 1158–1159 (1999)Cite this article

Current tools for determining gene function simply cannot keep pace with the rapid accumulation of new sequence information produced by the various genome projects. In the case of the human genome, sequence information is now available for most of the estimated 140,000 genes residing in our 3 billion nucleotide genome, yet definitive function has been assigned to less than a thousand of these. How are we to assign function efficiently to the rest, and which of these genes will be the target for the next wonder drug? Newer techniques such as bioinformatics, proteomics, and array-based gene expression profiling are providing excellent clues as to what these genes do and where they are expressed, but they cannot predict the precise role of a gene in a whole organism. What is needed is a technique that can be used to jump directly from sequence to function in a whole animal. In this issue, Driver et al. report a technique with the potential to accomplish just that. Their technique involves the transient administration of a modified antisense oligonucleotide to inhibit gene function during mouse development.

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  1. director of research, Atugen, 2950 Wilderness Place, Boulder, CO 80301, USA

    James D. Thompson

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  1. James D. Thompson
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Thompson, J. Shortcuts from gene sequence to function. Nat Biotechnol 17, 1158–1159 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/70698

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/70698

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