Important Biological Developments during my Lifetime

By jilliancjones

  • National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) founded at NIH/NLM

  • EMBnet network for database distribution introduced

  • Clustal multiple alignment algorithm (Higgins) introduced

  • Period: to

    Important Developments in my lifetime

  • Human Genome Project launched: estimated cost of $13 billion (plan 15 years)

  • BLAST: fast sequence similarity searching tool introduced by S. Karlin and S.F. Altshul

  • EST: expressed sequence tag sequencing first described by Craig Venter and colleagues: a method for identifying active genes

  • The Institute for Genome Research (TIGR), associated with plans to exploit sequencing commercially through gene identification and drug discovery, was formed

  • Mel Simon introduced the use of BACs for cloning

  • The Sanger Centre, a genome research institute with the purpose to further the knowledge of genomes, was crated in Hinxton, UK

  • The EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute, the centre for research and service for bioinformatics was established in Hinxton, UK

  • The FlavrSavr Tomato becomes the first genetic modified food to be approved for sale. A gene expression the enzyme polygalacturonase, which is responsible for the tomato's softness, was introduced by Calgene

  • First completed sequence of a bacterial genome, Haemophilus influenzae by TIGR

  • Yeast and E. coli genome completely sequenced

  • The genome of Caenerhabditis elegans, a small soil nematode, was completely sequenced

  • Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) genome completely sequenced

  • Human genome draft version finished

  • Presentation of human genome by Celera Genomics and the collaborating group of laboratories supported by public foundation

  • Completion of the 2010 Project: the understanding the function of all genes within their cellular, organismal and evolutionary context of Arabidopsis thaliana