AG-BIO: Molecular Applications in Deal with Monsanto

Applied Genetics News,  May, 1999  

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Molecular Applications Group (MAG, Palo Alto, CA. Contact: Mary C. Drummond; Tel: 650/846-3572) and Monsanto Co. (800 North Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63167; Tel: 314/694-1000, Fax: 314/694-7625, Website: monsanto.com) have signed an agreement whereby MAG will apply their proprietary technology to support Monsanto researchers in identifying, selection, and prioritizing targets for agricultural and pharmaceutical applications. The technology draws on MAG's expertise in protein sequence and structure analysis to improve prediction of gene and protein function. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In its work with Monsanto, MAG will employ three proprietary and complementary techniques that rely on "hidden Markov models," protein threading, and phylogenetic analysis. MAG's core technology has three components, referred to as SHMMS, ATHOS, and BETE.

"In combination these algorithms produce a discovery system that greatly increases the reach of remote homologue detection, as well as the ability to classify novel genes in the context of related sequences," says Paul Thomas, executive director of research at MAG. Currently used methods fail to correctly identify the function of about 70% of known or newly discovered genes. MAG's technology employs structural motifs and weak sequence clues to predict function. Automated subfamily classification of target sequences will be demonstrated on a large scale basis. Monsanto will be the first company to receive access to this technology for the purpose of gene discovery. The project will use MAG's methods for associating target genes with genes that perform similar function, even where there is minimal sequence similarity. "This is the first in a series of discovery partnerships we will be undertaking," says John Andrews, executive vice president and COO at MAG.

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