Completed Draft of Korean Genome Map

On completing the draft of the Korean specific genome map, radical changes in the medical researches, such as a personally modified medication era, are anticipated.

The significance of the draft completion: The draft is the physical map of the genome. The physical map is the BAC combination in which the chromosomes are inserted in bacteria. It is virtually impossible to analyze the base-order since the human genome is too complicated.

Therefore, after setting up landmarks by the genes whose functions are already revealed, divided bulks of the chromosomes are arranged on corresponding locations of the 24 human chromosomes.

The physical map will be the blueprint for the separation of specific genes and the analysis to research on the structures of the particular genome area related to a specific gene.

Seo Jung-Soon, head of Microgen, proudly said that, with the facilities of the company, the analysis would be completed only in 8 months.

The Process of the Mapping: Microgen has saved time and money by utilizing the research outcomes of the U.S. and other areas. Microgen adopted the shot-gun method, which was developed by bio-tech venture industry Celera Genomics to divide the human genome randomly and to analyze them. And finally Microgen researchers located the analyzed genomes in the corresponding spots, which were unveiled by the Human Genome Project.

What the Map is Used for: Researchers have revealed that an individual disease is different from others by the slight differences in the gene of the individuals. And the individual differences have relevance to the ethnicity. Asthma gene is known as partially distributed among the Westerners and the Asians, that is, 5 vs. 1.

That is the reason why the Microgen declared that its next project is to move forward with the plans to compile a database of the 7 major diseases of the Koreans, including cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, osteoporosis, arthritis, and other immune disease.

Microgen claimed that the company had already completed the analysis of the 1500 disease genes of the Korean man in twenties and, based on the result of the analysis, will continue its research on the individual differences.

The domestic researchers will be able to search and analyze the disease genes, whose functions are not yet unveiled, when the Bacterial artificial chromosomes are provided to them. In Korea, researches to find the genes related to the stomach cancer and the liver cancer of the Koreans are currently on the operation under the auspice of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Lee Young-Wan puset@donga.com