An agency effort to sequence genomes: unraveling the genome of the honey bee, pig, cow, and chicken

Agricultural Research, Jan, 2005 by David Elstein, Don Comis, Jan Suszkiw, Alfredo Flores

With the honey bee genome, it's possible to cast a wider net for other such genes and characterize them in hopes of eventually using the information to improve honey bee breeding and management, he adds.

Aronstein has focused her work on a large family of receptors that play roles in the bee's first line of defense against invading microorganisms--what's known as innate, or inborn, immunity.

"The outcome of this genome sequencing research won't give immediate results to the beekeeping industry," says Aronstein. "But it's long-term research with huge potential for a better understanding of bee biology and improvement of management practices."

Studying the Cow Genome

Steven M. Kappes, now ARS Deputy Administrator for Animal Production and Protection, was one of the leaders of ARS's work on the bovine genome at Clay Center, Nebraska. As director of the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Kappes worked with a dozen ARS scientists plus many from around the world in developing the physical, bacterial artificial chromosome--BAC--map of the cow.

The scientists first started this project in spring 2000 and are in the final stages of putting the map together.

Though the scientists have not completed the BAC map, researchers are using part of it to sequence the cow genome. "We are already using the BAC map to find DNA markers," Kappes says.

The physical map was developed by researchers in the United States and Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Being able to sequence the genome may lead to new knowledge about human health, particularly reproduction traits and immune functions. The knowledge will also obviously help agricultural researchers. Based on evidence from other species, Kappes believes we will be able to find genes that influence feed efficiency in cattle. Cattle producers would use the information to select cows that require less feed. Not only would this reduce the cost of beef production, but it could also mean fewer nutrient and odor problems.

Kappes also notes the possibility of being able to identify cows that are resistant to bovine spongiform encephalopathy--or mad cow disease--by knowing what DNA changes are responsible for the resistance. Then scientists would be able to breed cows naturally immune to the disease.

Many ARS scientists from around the country worked on the cattle genome. Those that had an active role include geneticist Timothy P.L. Smith of the Nebraska lab and Beltsville geneticists Curt Van Tassell and Tad Sonstegard. Van Tassell found 25 regions in cattle genomes, called quantitative trait loci, that may prove economically important to dairy producers.

Don't Forget the Pigs

Compared to the other animal genomes under study, the pig's has the farthest to go. Animal geneticist Gary A. Rohrer at Clay Center is leading ARS's efforts in sequencing the swine genome. "The sequencing effort is still in its infancy and is evolving as we go," Rohrer explains.

An international consortium has completed the physical map and has started to analyze it. Researchers can view this information at www.sanger.ac.uk/Projects/S_scrofa/. Rohrer believes that it may take 3 to 5 years to complete the actual genome sequencing work.