Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory releases sequence browser
Nobel Laureate James D. Watson’s personal genome sequence is now publicly available on Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s (CSHL) website. “I am putting my genome sequence online to encourage the development of an era of personalized medicine, in which information contained our genomes can be used to identify and prevent disease and to create individualized medical therapies,” said CSHL Chancellor Watson.
Watson’s genome was sequenced by 454 Life Sciences Corporation in collaboration with scientists at the Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine. The sequence describes the six billion base pairs of DNA that Watson received from his two parents, the unique combination of which are responsible for his genetic individuality. “The Genotype Viewer illustrates that each of us has a unique genome that differs in millions of locations from the genomes of our friends and neighbors. These differences are responsible for our differing genetic susceptibilities to hundreds of diseases and by studying these differences, we will understand the mechanisms of disease that will open possibilities in diagnostics, prevention, and customized treatment,” said CSHL researcher Lincoln Stein, who created the Genotype Viewer.
The simple browser allows you to view the places where Watson’s sequence is different from “reference” human genome sequence published by the Human Genome Project. Easy-to-use navigation tools allow you to view the genes and some of the common diseases associated with them. The entire Watson sequence, with the exception of the ApoE gene, variants of which are associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease, is on the CSHL hosted site and the NCBI Trace Repository website hosted by the National Institute of Mental Health.
CSHL is a private, non-profit research and education institution dedicated to exploring molecular biology and genetics in order to advance the understanding and ability to diagnose and treat cancers, neurological diseases, and other causes of human suffering.
Written by: Communications Department | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455