Archive Site Provided for Historical Purposes
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Human Genome Program
In this issue...
DOE '99 Oakland Highlights
Genome Project
In the News
Microbial Genomics
Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues
Informatics
Web, Other Resources, Publications
Funding
Meeting Calendars & Acronyms
Key to Transplant Rejection, Autoimmune Disease
Sequencing of the 4-Mb human Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region of chromosome6 has been completed by the Sanger Centre, University of Washington, and Tokai University (http://www.sanger.ac.uk/HGP/Chr6/MHC.shtml).
Proteins encoded by genes residing in the MHC region are responsible for helping the body defend itself against microscopic invaders by distinguishing normal body constituents ("self") from everything else, which it then marks for extinction. Researchers hope that a better understanding of MHC proteins will lead to the development of new ways to minimize transplant rejection and fight such infectious and autoimmune diseases as arthritis and juvenile diabetes.
The electronic form of the newsletter may be cited in the following style:
Human Genome Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Human Genome News (v10n3-4).
The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international 13-year effort, 1990 to 2003. Primary goals were to discover the complete set of human genes and make them accessible for further biological study, and determine the complete sequence of DNA bases in the human genome. See Timeline for more HGP history.
Published from 1989 until 2002, this newsletter facilitated HGP communication, helped prevent duplication of research effort, and informed persons interested in genome research.
