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The burgeoning commercial sector that is based on genome information poses a challenge to the norms of scientific publication. But it remains to be established that the conditions of access to published sequence data need to change.
The focus of activity in high-energy physics is about to switch from CERN, near Geneva, to Fermilab in Illinois. Sarah Tomlin sampled the atmosphere, as excited physicists prepared their Tevatron accelerator for action.
The draft human genome sequence published in Nature this week is the culmination of 15 years of work, involving 20 sequencing centres in six countries. Here, we present a reminder of some of the key moments.
If biologists do not adapt to the powerful computational tools needed to exploit huge data sets, says Declan Butler, they could find themselves floundering in the wake of advances in genomics.
The idea of materials that can mend themselves seems far-fetched. But a system that allows composite materials to 'self-heal' has been devised and has passed some early tests.
Direct experimental evidence to resolve the conflict between classical and quantum physics has been a long-awaited goal. As the last loophole closes, it seems that quantum mechanics was right all along.
Some plants depend on specific animal vectors for the dispersal of their seeds. If the vector comes under threat, there are likely to be adverse consequences for the plant.
Our bodies use only 'left-handed' amino acids and 'right-handed' sugars. Hints are now emerging on how this handedness evolved and how cooperativity among like-handed molecular components came about.
Osteopetrosis is a disease characterized by the malfunctioning of bone-resorbing cells. A chloride channel that is crucial for these cells to function has now been identified.
The draft sequences of the human genome are remarkable achievements. They provide an outline of the information needed to create a human being and show, for the first time, the overall organization of a vertebrate's DNA.
The public project's sequencing strategy involved producing a map of the human genome, and then pinning sequence to it. This helps to avoid errors in the sequence, especially in repetitive regions.
Two rough drafts of the human genome sequence are now published. Completion of the sequences lies ahead, but the implications for studying human diseases and for biotechnology are already profound.
Comparing the human genome sequences with those of other species will not only reveal what makes us genetically different. It may also help us understand what our genes do.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms are the bread-and-butter of DNA sequence variation. They provide a rich source of information about the evolutionary history of human populations.
Single base differences between human genomes underlie differences in susceptibility to, or protection from, a host of diseases. Hence the great potential of such information in medicine.
