Dear all,
I am delighted to be able to report that the Wellcome Trust have agreed to
fund BOTH applications submitted by the Schisto Genome Network to its
Beowulf Scheme.
This means that, in a couple of years we should have:
(1) a complete HAPPY map and BAC tile path for Schistosoma mansoni, with
5000 nr EST sequences and 5000 nr BAC end sequences on the map, plus
hemi-nested oligos for each of those markers for array production, plus
about 200 new FISH-mapped markers
(2) another 1.1MB of contiguous genomic sequence from a new contig
(incidentally, the Sanger Centre are currently sequencing a BAC for us
under their small projects initiative)
(3) 15,000 ESTs from each of S. haematobium and Fasciola hepatica, with
which to initiate comparative genomics. cDNA libraries will be produced
from different life cycle stages of both parasites and these will also be
available (and possibly for geographical isolates for Fasciola).
The vast majority of the work will be performed by the Pathogen Sequencing
Unit at the Sanger Centre and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,
Cambridge (Paul Dear's HAPPY mapping group), with support from The Natural
History Museum (FISH mapping, initial cDNA library characterisation etc.),
The University of Leeds (Alison Agnew's group, S. haematobium supply and
cDNA library construction) and Queens University Belfast (Alan Trudgett,
Fasciola production)
In addition, Gui Oliveira (CPQRR, FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and
Gloria Franco (UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and colleagues have also been
sucessful with a second big mansoni EST project (brief details are at
http://www.mct.gov.br/sobre/noticias/2001/25_04canexo.htm for the Portugese
speakers amongst you.), to compliment the recently announced Sao Paulo
project (http://verjo18.iq.usp.br/schisto/)
With very best wishes,
David.
David A. Johnston,
Secretary to the WHO Schistosoma Genome Network,
Biomedical Parasitology Division,
Dept. of Zoology,
The Natural History Museum,
Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England, UK.
Tel: 020-7942-5566/5008/5152
Fax: 020-7942-5347
(from outside the UK: 44-20-7942 ****)
eMail daj at nhm.ac.ukhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/schisto/
The Biomedical Parasitology Division is a WHO Collaborating Centre for
the dentification of schistosomes and their snail hosts.
