Themes and Variations Rivalry and Wonder

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Metaphorically speaking Here’s a choice picking of some of the metaphors that Themes and variations were used to describe the human genome and its sequencing. The publication of the human genome draft genome is rich in repeats sequences by the International Human Genome (about 50%); segmental dupli- Sequencing Consortium in Nature (15 February) cations are common; and Donald Kennedy, editor- and by Celera Genomics in Science (16 G+C-rich regions tend to have in-chief of Science, on the efforts of the public February), along with the accompanying more genes. But the number of consortium, The New research, commentary and analysis occupies genes has attracted much atten- York Times (US): almost 250 printed pages. The papers take read- tion, as expressed by Gerry Rubin: “Imagine trying to do this ers on a journey through genome function and “Here is the real surprise: job in a number of places evolution, as well as through many aspects of the human genome probably with academic scientists basic and applied biology. If you haven’t yet contains between 25,000 — it’s like herding cats.” tackled them all, here is a brief digest of some of and 40,000 genes, only their main themes. about twice the number Francis Collins in The How does it look? This is the first view of the needed to make a fruitfly, Washington Post (US) on whole human (or any vertebrate) genome worm or plant.” the human genome: sequence. Parts of the human genome are “We’ve called the human genome the book of life, but already well charted, but now we have a vantage The broad range of the it’s really three books. It’s a point which affords us a panoramic view. estimates reflects the limita- history book. It’s a shop Although there are plenty of holes, the picture is tions of current gene-pre- manual and parts list. And largely consistent with previous studies: the diction methods, but the it’s a textbook of medicine more profoundly detailed than ever.” IN THE NEWS

Eric Lander on Celera’s sequence in Los Angeles Rivalry and wonder Times (US): Instead of a complete Given the media fanfare that Did the grand experiment work? whole-genome scaffolds on the map of DNA, Lander said, Venter wound up accompanied the announcement “It worked beautifully”,Venter said. chromosomes because it’s a lot of with “a tossed genome of the completion of the draft “It didn’t work”,said Eric Lander. work and we had made the salad”. human genome last June, the Why the members of the public commitment to this [approach] response of the world’s press to the consortium felt this way was and that’s the one we were going to publication of the sequence go forward and publish.”Adams Francis Collins pursued the explained in UK’s The Daily culinary metaphor in The analysis promised to be fascinating. Telegraph: said the company could have Washington Post on the How would this coverage shape the Their conclusion: Celera had assembled the scaffolds to cover complexity of the human public’s perception of this underplayed its dependence on more than 90% of the DNA puzzle genome: landmark achievement? public data; it had a less complete had it chosen to. “We have the Cuisinart that What comes across foremost in the genome than the public effort; its And in the The Washington Post: can slice and dice and do media is that this scientific much-vaunted faster method for Venter said it was unfortunate that lots of things, while worms milestone brims with human reading DNA had run into his rivals had “got their panties in and flies have paring a gather” once again over the issue knives.” emotion. The acrimony and rivalry difficulties… between the public and private “The whole genome assembly of whose gene-analysis technique efforts is heaven-sent news fodder, method has not worked as hoped. is better. John Sulston on how and so was the focus of many It has not given them enough Few newspapers took sides in evolution recombines old reports that came out a day early continuity to reasonably map parts, The Daily this argument, but the German [their sequence] on the human Telegraph (UK): because of an embargo-breaking paper Frankfurter Allgemeine “You convert your Austin article in UK’s The Observer genome without leaving a lot of took a cautionary stance: 7 into a Mercedes, but newspaper on 11 February. gaps”,said Sir John [Sulston]. Academia is pursuing its role as basically it is the same As reported by US’s The “All the king’s horses and all the Mr.Venter’s teacher with such underneath.” Washington Post on 12 February: king’s men could not put the fervor that it is in danger of Celera’s plans set off a ferocious genome together again”,said Eric losing sight of reality… It is no Lander, in US’s Los Angeles Times. Craig Venter on the wonder struggle over egos, research more possible to conceive of the of the genome, The New technique and scientific principle. Mark Adam’s (of Celera) future of molecular biology… York Times: As of this week, the results are finally explanation came in US’s without involving research “We feel like midgets available in a scientific journal and The New York Times: industry than it is without describing the universe and the big question is: “We did not attempt to order the basic research. we can’t comprehend it all.”

158 | MARCH 2001 | VOLUME 2 www.nature.com/reviews/genetics