The Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) has sequenced the first
Chinese volunteer's genome as part of a project to create a
database of Asian genomes.
The Yanhuang Project, named after two legendary ancient emperors
who are believed to be the ancestors of the Han ethnic group, will
map the genomes of 100 Chinese people, said Dr. Wang Jian, director
of BGI's Shenzhen branch, on Saturday.
"We finished the sequencing of the first Han Chinese genome last
October," said Wang, "but the genome is from a researcher."
"We hope that the rest of the 100 people will be volunteers who
want to have their genomes sequenced for purely scientific
purposes," he said.
The first volunteer, who wanted to remain anonymous, donated 10
million yuan (about 1.3 million U.S. dollars) to the project along
with his blood sample for sequencing.
"I believe more breakthroughs will be made in bio-tech and
bio-pharmacy industries by sequencing and studying more Chinese
genomes," the donor said. So far, only three individuals' genomes
have been sequenced anywhere in the world and all of them were
scientists.
Wang said the project is the Asian section of a comparative
genomics project jointly conducted by Chinese and British
scientists, which aims to create genome databases for various races
from different continents.
He said that the Yanhuang Project has three phases. The first,
which was completed last October, is to sequence a Chinese
individual's genome that will serve as the reference. The second is
to sequence at least 99 more individuals' genomes to construct a
Chinese genetic polymorphism map. The final stage is to study the
results of the first two phases and apply the findings to medical
science.
"We need to establish the database of Chinese people's genomes
in order to solve the problems related to Chinese-specific genetic
diseases," said Wang. "It will also give us solid ground for future
individual health care in terms of accurate and effective
diagnosis, prediction and therapy."
"Personal genomics" became a new industry last year. Some
companies in the United States plan to provide personal genome
sequencing for a fee of 300,000 to 350,000 U.S. dollars, the
American journal Science reported in December. Those
companies say that having complete genome maps will help people
understand their chances of developing genetically based diseases
and act to control and prevent such diseases.
However, this practice is expected to bring ethical challenges
since such genetic data can reveal personal information that many
might prefer to keep private.
(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2008)