Genome Project-write

Views:1752       Publish Time: 2017-11-09

The Genome Project-write (GP-write) is an open, international research project, which includes whole genome engineering of human cell lines and other organisms of agricultural and public health significance. The Genome Project-write (GP-write) will use synthesis and genome editing technologies to understand, engineer and test living systems. It will build on the knowledge and technological advances of HGP-read, and could be an equally transformative next step.

HGP-read aimed to “read” a human genome. Successfully completed in 2003, HGP-read is now widely recognized as one of the great feats of exploration, one that sparked a global revolution in science and medicine, particularly in genomic-based diagnostics and therapeutics. But our understanding of the human genome – and the full benefits to humanity to be obtained from this knowledge — remains far from complete. Many scientists now believe that to truly understand our genetic blueprint, it is necessary to “write” DNA and build human (and other) genomes from scratch. Such an endeavor will require research and development on a grand scale. Writing DNA is the future of science and medicine, and holds the promise of pulling us forward into a better future. While reading DNA code has continued to advance, our capability to write DNA code remains limited, which in turn restricts our ability to understand and manipulate biological systems. GP-write will enable scientists to move beyond observation to action, and facilitate the use of biological engineering to address many of the global problems facing humanity.

Focused on writing and building variations on large Giga-base (Gb) animal and plant genomes, including the human genome, the project would generate a wealth of information connecting the sequence of nucleotides in DNA with their physiological properties and functional behaviors, and would drive the development of tools and methods that facilitate large scale synthesis and editing of genomes. Furthermore, because DNA synthesis, like sequencing and computation, is a foundational technology, GP-write could accelerate research and development (R&D) across a broad spectrum of life sciences, supporting basic R&D of new bio-based therapies, vaccines, materials, energy sources, disease vector control, and nutrition.