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(Stroke. 2001;32:1239.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorial

Genetics Update

Impact of the Human Genome Projects and Identification of a Stroke Gene

Mark J. Alberts, MD

From the Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.

Correspondence to Mark J. Alberts, MD, Director, Stroke Program, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Medical School, 710 N Lake Shore Dr, Room 1122, Chicago, IL 60611. E-mail m-alberts@northwestern.edu

Key Words: genetics • stroke

Two articles were published in February 2001 that will have a significant impact on our understanding of human development, the pathogenesis of many human diseases, and the discovery of new therapies for many disorders.^{1 2} These articles deal with the mapping of the human genome. Two different entities, one a publicly traded company (Celera) and the other the Human Genome Project (HGP, sponsored and funded by NIH), published somewhat different versions of the human genome. The HGP began in 1990 (although extensive sequencing of the human genome began in 1995) and cost approximately $3 billion, while the Celera effort began in 1998.^{1 2} The HGP involved multiple laboratories in the United States and abroad. The 2 projects produced maps that differ from each other in terms of completeness, order of some genetic markers, and the ability to search the database for specific DNA sequences. A comparison of some features of both projects is in Table 1.

View this table: [in this window] [in a new window]   Table 1. Comparison of the Human Genome Project and the Celera Project

The challenge of sequencing the 3 billion base pairs of the human genome required the development of unique tools and approaches. Celera constructed a facility capable of high-throughput sequencing at a rate of 175 000 reads per day and conducted sequencing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The HGP divided the sequencing task among several large laboratories with demonstrated expertise in large-scale DNA sequencing. The strategy employed by the HGP focused on subcloning the human genome into bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC), which were . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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