BGI Newsletter Subscribe / Unsubscribe News from BGI Spotlights in Genomics Research Highlight Contact BGI Newsleer Tel: +86 755 25283805 Email: [email protected] This E-mail was sent from BGI, If you do not wish to receive such communicaon, please click here to unsubscribe. January 2013 Volume 3 Issue 1 Spotlights in Genomics / News from BGI / Research Highlight www.genomics.cn Chinese Sciensts Decode the First Genome Sequence of Chinese Plum, Providing Important Resource for Fruit Improvement A Chinese research team, led by Beijing Forestry University, BGI, Beijing Lin Fu Ke Yuan Flowers Co., Ltd, and other instutes, has completed the first genomic sequence of Prunus mume, known as mei. This work is extremely important for the deeper understanding of Rosaceae evoluon and provides an invaluable resource for the improvement of fruit trees. The latest study was published online in Nature Communicaon. More BGI Reports the First Genome Sequence of Domesc Goat, Seng a Good Example for Facilitang de novo Assembly of Large Genomes In a collaborave study published online in Nature Biotechnology, researchers from Kunming Instute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, BGI, and other instutes, have completed the first genome sequence of domesc goat by a robust approach integrated with next-generaon sequencing (NGS) and whole-genome mapping (WGM) technologies. The goat genome is the first reference genome for small ruminant animals and may help to advance the understanding of disnct ruminants’ genomic features from non-ruminant species. More BGI Reports the New Findings Reveal Blood Pressure Dugs may Treat Chronic Pain An internaonal team, comprised King’s College London, Pfizer, BGI and other organizaons, has explored the genec variaon related with pain sensivity in the normal populaon, revealing some exisng discovery that treatments for high blood pressure may also be used to treat chronic pain in the future. The latest study was published online in the internaonal journal PLoS Genecs. More BGI Reports the Findings between De novo Germline Mutaon and Ausm A study published online in Cell reports the latest invesgaon of de novo germline mutaon by whole genome sequencing in ausm paents. This study provides a global view of the landscape of mutability and its influence on genec diversity and suscepbility in ausm, and its implicaons on other human diseases. The work was a collaborave effort led by internaonal teams comprised of the University of California, San Diego, BGI, and other instutes. More BGI Reports Genomic Breakthroughs for Bat Biology, Providing New Insights into the Evoluon of Flight and Immunity BGI announces the online publicaon in Science of the latest findings through genomic analysis of two distantly related bat species, the Black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) and David’s Myos (Myos davidii). The work here provides new insight into the genec mechanisms underlying the evoluon of flight and immunity of bats, and also opens the way for addressing major gaps into understanding of bat biology and provides new direcons for future research. More Chinese Sciensts Discover Evidence of Giant Panda’s Populaon History and Local Adaptaon by Whole Genome Resequencing A research team, led by Instute of Zoology of Chinese Academy of Sciences and BGI, has successfully reconstructed a connuous populaon history of the giant panda from its origin to the present. The findings suggested whereas global changes in climate were the primary drivers in panda populaon fluctuaon for millions of years, human acvies were likely to underlie recent populaon divergence and serious decline. This work reveals a good example for assessing and establishing the best conservaon method for other endangered species. The latest study was published online in Nature Genecs. More Asian Young Researchers to Advance Computaonal and Omics Biology The 6th Asian Young Researchers Conference on Computaonal and Omics Biology (AYRCOB) is composed of six organizing countries and districts, including Australia, China, Singapore, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The two-day conference provides a good opportunity for young researchers to exchange views on scienfic knowledge and promote the future internaonal collaboraon on computaonal and systems biology. More The 2012 ISCB-Asia/SCCG Conference to Advance Computaonal Biology and Biomedical Informacs The 2012 ISCB-Asia/SCCG, a joint-event of ISCB-Asia 2012 and the Shenzhen Conference on Computaonal Genomics (SCCG), is co-organized by Internaonal Society for Computaonal Biology (ISCB) and BGI. The three-day conference brings together prominent researchers, global industry luminaries and university students from the fields of computaonal biology, biomedical informacs, and genomics. It also provides an excellent plaorm for beer exchanging ideas and discussing cung-edge advances on computaonal biology and biomedical informacs. More The First Shenzhen Internaonal Biotech Innovaon Forum & Expo to Promote Bio-industry Chain Development The first Shenzhen Internaonal Biotech Innovaon Forum & Expo (SIBIFE), co-organized by Shenzhen Municipal people’s Government, China Medicinal Biotechnology Associaon and BGI, is being held from December 13 to December 15 at Shenzhen Convenon and Exhibion Center. The conference features invited presentaons by prominent researchers, global industry luminaries and top policy makers, in addion to over 100 exhibitors from the areas of biological science, biological technologies, biological medicine and healthcare. More The Workshop on Translaonal Science of Mendelian Disorders to Advance Trans-omics Applicaon The workshop on translaonal science of Mendelian Disorders was successfully conducted at Una Hotel Tocq, Milan, Italy. Around 150 researchers, sciensts and representaves from BGI, China Naonal GeneBank, University of Naples Federico II, University of Bologna, Embassy of China in Italy and other instutes and organizaons, aended the meeng and exchanged their latest advances and insights on Mendelian disorders research. More Nature named BGI Execuve Director Jun Wang “People Who Maered This Year” December 20,2012, Nature announced Ten People Who Maered This Year.Thirty-six-year-old BGI Execuve Director Jun Wang is on the list and also the only Chinese. BGI has gained the global recognion on its influence in basic research. In 2012, BGI has made great efforts in translang genomics science into real-world applicaons. More China (Mainland) BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yanan District, Shenzhen, 518083, China Tel: 400-706-6615 +86-755-2527-3620 Email: [email protected] www.genomics.cn Asia Pacific(Hong Kong) BGI Hong Kong Co. Limited, 16th Dai Fu Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong Tel: +852-3610-3510 Email: [email protected] www.bgisequence.com/hk North America (Boston) BGI Americas Corporaon, One Broadway, 14th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA Tel: +1-617-500-2741 Email: [email protected] www.bgiamericas.com www.bgisequence.com/us Europe (Copenhagen) BGI Europe, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: (+45) 70260806 Email: [email protected] www.bgisequence.com Japan(Kobe) BGI Japan, Kobe KIMEC Center BLDG. 8F, 1-5-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, KobeCity, Hyogo-pref. 650-0047, JAPAN Tel: +81-78-599-6108 Email: [email protected] www.bgisequence.com/jp/ Coming Up Events Hosted by BGI PAG Asia 2013 March 17-19th, 2013, Singapore Learn More HGM 2013 and 21st Internaonal Congress of Genecs April 13-18th, 2013, Singapore Learn More 2013 Internaonal Conference on Genomics in Europe June 25-28th, 2013, Ghent, Belgium Learn More www.genomics.cn Subscribe / Unsubscribe Bat Genome Gives Insight Into Flight and Disease Resistance image source: hp://tupian.baike.com/a2_61_68_01300000348494129635687542343_jpg.html image source:hp://www.weather.com.cn/climate/qhbhyw/08/371097.shtml Human Health & Medicine 1. Cadaver Stem Cells Offer New Hope of Life Aſter Death More 2. New Insight Into Cell Development and Cancer More 3. Mimicking a Natural Defense Against Malaria to Develop New Treatments More 4. Enzyme Accelerates Malignant Stem Cell Cloning in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia More 5. Immune System Changes May Drive Aggressiveness Of Recurrent Tumors More 6. Study Suggests Gene Variaon May Shape Bladder Cancer Treatment More 7. Genec Sequencing Breakthrough to Aid Treatment for Congenital Hyperinsulinism More 8. Genec Clues to Insulin Producon: Genomic Analysis Method Helps Track Genec Contributors Relevant to Diabetes More Pharma & Biotech 1. Stroke Drug Kills Bacteria That Cause Ulcers and Tuberculosis More 2. New Class of Malaria Drugs Using Essenal Calcium Enzyme Developed More 3. Stan Drug Shows Promise For Fighng Malaria Effects More 4. NIH-funded Trial Launched to Assess Experimental TB Drug More 5. Drug May Offer New Approach to Treang Insomnia More 6. Ultrasound Diagnoses Appendicis Without X-Rays More 7. Automated Design for Drug Discovery More 8. Real-me Outbreak Sequencing More Plants & Animals 1. Top Genomes of 2012 More 2. 2 New Species of Orchid Found in Cuba More 3. New Genecs Project Could Help Save the Ash Tree More 4. Blades and Clades: Why Some Grasses Got Beer Photosynthesis More 5. Chinese Medicine Yields Secrets: Atomic Mechanism of Two-Headed Molecule Derived from Chang Shan, a Tradional Chinese Herb More 6. Discovery May Pave Way to Genecally Enhanced Biofuel Crops More 7. 'Gold Standard' Coon Genome Sequenced More 8. Doing the Math for How Songbirds Learn to Sing More Bats, as a group, are oſten characterized as creepy, disease-carrying, and even blood-sucking animals as oſten depicted in horror movies. They are reservoirs for a number of dangerous viruses that oſten prove deadly to humans and animals following infecon, such as Ebola, Marburg, SARS, Hendra, Nipah, and many others. A breakthrough that will lead to understanding how bats carry very deadly viruses without geng sick has been published in Science by an internaonal team of researchers who completed the first whole bat genome sequencing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Bats are a member of Pegasoferae, and it diverged from the Equus (horse) lineage approximately 88 million years ago (MYA). The incongruence between nuclear and mitochondrial trees may reflect rapid evoluon of the mitochondrial genome of the bat ancestor during the evoluon of flight. Many genes in the DNA damage checkpoint/DNA repair pathway of the bat ancestor was expansion, which is relate to minimizing/repairing the negave effects of reacve oxygen species (ROS) generated as a consequence of flight. Examining the genes associated with the innate immune system of bats, the study found c-REL was posively selected gene,as well as KLRs and KIRs were enrely absent in the Black flying fox and reduced to a single Ly49 pseudogene in David’s Myos. The digesve enzyme RNASE4 in David’s Myos may be involved in virus resistance, but the gene has acquired a frame-shiſt mutaon in Black flying fox. It relates to the fact that David’s Myos is insecvorous, and Black flying fox feeds on fruits, flowers and nectar. Six candidate genes related to hibernaon showing posive selecon in David’s Myos relave to non-hibernators, and seven genes related with echolocaon had significantly higher dN/dS in the echolocang David’s Myos branch relave to non-echolocang branches. Research highlights in this study: Guojie Zhang, Christopher Cowled, et al. Comparave Analysis of Bat Genomes Provides Insight into the Evoluon of Flight and Immunity,Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1230835 Microbe 1. Sciensts Sequence Genome of Pathogen Responsible for Pneumocyss Pneumonia More 2. Blame Bacteria if You Start Pung on Weight More 3. Even In Same Vineyard, Different Microbes May Create Variaons In Wine Grapes More 4. Lethal Weapon: Bacteria's High-Risk Suicide Strategy More 5. Microevoluonary Analysis of Clostridium Difficile Genomes to Invesgate Transmission More 6. Producon of 5-Aminovaleric and Glutaric Acid by Metabolically Engineered Microorganism More 7. A Giant Puzzle With Billions of Pieces More 8. Microevoluonary Analysis of Clostridium Difficile Genomes to Invesgate Transmission More