TITLE:  Unraveling More Codes
      AUTHOR:  GILLIS, ANNA MARIA
     JOURNAL:  BioScience
    CITATION:  February, 1995, 45: 77.
        YEAR:  1995
    PUB TYPE:  Article
 IDENTIFIERS:  MICROORGANISM GENOME SEQUENCING; MICROBIAL GENOME INITIATIVE; 
               DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE); ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES; 
               PYROCOCCUS FURIOSUS; METHANOCOCCUS JANNASCHII; 
               METHANOBACTERIUM THERMOAUTOTROPHICUM
    ABSTRACT:       In the next year, three teams of scientists hope to 
               completely sequence Pyrococcus furiosus, Methanococcus 
               jannaschii, and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. This 
               research is being done with three million dollars in funding 
               provided by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Microbial Genome 
               Initiative. The DOE interest in the sequencing of 
               microorganisms lies primarily in the areas of alternative 
               energy production of bioremediation. Given the worldwide 
               interest in producing fuel-grade methane gas, the 
               Methanococcus and Methanobacterium are particularly good 
               candidates for sequencing. The study of such organisms could 
               lead to cheaper gas production.
                    Another goal of the Microbial Genome Initiative is 
               gaining an understanding of deep evolutionary relations. The 
               organisms currently being studied are all archaea, a group 
               characterized by a predilection for extreme environments. 
               Both P. furiosus and M. jannaschii are heat lovers; M. 
               thermoautotrophicum is found in sewage sludge. The size of 
               the three microorganisms makes them good candidates for 
               sequencing in 1 yr. Ranging from 1.7 to approximately two 
               million base pairs, their genomes are significantly smaller 
               than the human genome, which is about three billion base 
               pairs long.
                    The research groups are planning to use two major 
               techniques in sequencing the microorganisms. One group used 
               multiplex sequencing, a procedure that allows for the batch 
               processing of DNA samples. Another group will use a variation 
               of this technique and the third will use new genome-
               sequencing technology, details of which have not yet been 
               published. And although DOE has not planned it so, the use of 
               these various techniques will allow comparisons which will be 
               useful in determining the best procedures for longer 
               sequencing projects.
                    If the Microbial Genome Initiative receives an 
               additional three million dollars in funding next year, it 
               will slate another batch of microorganisms for complete 
               sequencing. Among those being considered are Rhodococcus 
               rhodochrous, said to be "a champion biodegrader," and 
               Haliferax volcanii, resident of brine so salty that the 
               proteins of most other organisms denature in it.