These five outstanding achievements are as follows:
In a short period of five years, the center has achieved fruitful results, including five international leading research results.
Genome sequencing and functional research of three kinds of microorganisms, such as leptospira, the center has completed the genome sequencing of three important human and plant pathogenic microorganisms, namely leptospira (4.85Mb), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.6Mb) and Xanthomonas (5.2Mb). Among them, leptospira is the first important microorganism in the world to complete genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. In this study, more than 4700 genes that maintain the life activities of leptospira were identified for the first time, and at the same time, more than 30 pathogenic genes and 10 potential new targets for vaccine development were identified. The research results were published in the journal Nature in April 2003, and three gene patents were applied.
Cloning of Pathogenic Genes of Atrial Fibrillation The Department of Genetics of our Center cooperated with Tongji Medical University. Through the genetic linkage analysis of a family with atrial fibrillation, the pathogenic gene of this disease-myocardial potassium channel protein KCNQ 1 was located and cloned, and the mutation site of this gene was determined. This is the first pathogenic gene that causes familial atrial fibrillation so far, and this discovery will help to develop new drugs to treat atrial fibrillation. The research results were published in the journal Science in June 5438+ 10, 2003, and two patents were applied.
Localization of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Susceptibility Gene The Genetics Department of the Center cooperated with the Cancer Prevention Center affiliated to Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, and successfully located the nasopharyngeal carcinoma susceptibility gene locus (4p15.1-4p12 region) through the genetic research of more than 65,438 nasopharyngeal carcinoma families in Guangdong, which is an important progress in the genetic susceptibility research of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Related research results were published in the journal Nature Network in August 2002.
Research on genes related to liver cancer: The center conducted the large-scale est sequencing of liver cancer for the first time in the world (EST: ex-pressed sequence, which is the expression part of the genome and carries some fragments of complete genes-editor's note), and obtained 40,000 ESTs of liver cancer and adjacent tissues, thus constructing the largest EST database of liver cancer in the world; At the level of transcriptome, the occurrence and development of liver cancer were initially revealed, and a number of new genes related to liver cancer were cloned, and a number of gene patents were applied.
Research on the Functional Genome of Schistosoma japonicum The Center cooperates with the Institute of Parasitic Diseases Prevention and Control of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and takes Schistosoma japonicum as the research object. For the first time in the world, large-scale gene fragments of Schistosoma japonicum in different development stages and forms (including female worms, male worms and eggs) were detected, and comprehensive analysis and verification were carried out, and 43,707 gene fragments were obtained, and the world's largest database of expression sequence tags of Brachionus brachialis (protozoa) was built. Cloning 6 1 1 full-length gene to lay a foundation for understanding the genome structure of Schistosoma japonicum; The detection of gene function shows that there are many genes involved in schistosomiasis metabolism. A number of genes related to metabolism, development and sex were discovered and identified, which laid an important foundation for the diagnosis and vaccine development of schistosomiasis. The research results were published in the journal Nature Genetics in June 2003.
In addition, taking advantage of the technology platform, the Center actively cooperated with the National Gene Research Center of China Academy of Sciences to participate in the accurate sequencing of rice (japonica rice) chromosome 4, which was published in the journal Nature in June 2002. Actively participated in international cooperative research, participated in the international chimpanzee genome project in 200 1 year, and completed the accurate sequencing of chimpanzee chromosome 22, which will be published in the recent journal nature.