For a digital library of life

For a digital library of life

Context:

Similar to Human Genome Project, scientists have proposed Earth BioGenome Project, a massive project to sequence, catalogue and analyze the genomes of all eukaryotic species on the planet

About Human Genome Project:

  • The Human Genome Project was an international research effort to determine the sequence of the human genome and identify the genes that it contain
  • The project operated from 1990 to 2003

Significance of the Project:

  • It gave scientists a way to link networks of genes with disease and well-being
  • The project had major impact in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and the life sciences.

About Earth BioGenome Project:

  • The Project has been envisaged in the paper titled “Earth BioGenome Project: Sequencing life for the future of life” published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • It proposes a detailed genome-sequence draft of all eukaryote species
  • The project has a 10-year road map and hopes to sequence about 1.5 million eukaryote species in three phases.

Prerequisites for the project:

  • Innovative computations
  • Storage solutions
  • Global collaboration

Way Ahead:

  • The BioGenome Project has the potential to transform our understanding life on Earth.
  • It can pave the way for new innovations in medicine, agriculture, conservation, technology and genomics.
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