030313 U.S. Launches Project to Sequence Cattle GenesMarch 5, 2003Washington - The National Human Genome Research Institute said on Tuesday it had approved spending $50 million to sequence all the genes in cattle. The work will be done in Texas, at the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M University. The NHGRI, which has sponsored projects to sequence the human genome as well as the collection of genes in mice, fruit flies and other animals, said it would put up half the money if the remaining $25 million could be raised from other sources. Texas Governor Rick Perry said the state would pay $10 million and work to raise another $15 million, adding that the project promised long-term benefits for human health and the biotechnology industry, as well as enormous gains for the beef and dairy industries. The bovine genome is similar in size to the genomes of humans and other mammals, with an estimated size of 3 billion base pairs. Understanding cattle genetics could help the beef and dairy industries and might offer insights into human disease, too. "By comparing the human genome with the genomes of different organisms, we can better understand the structure and function of human genes and thereby develop new strategies in the battle against human disease," NHGRI director Dr. Francis Collins said in a statement. "The more genomes we have, the more powerful this tool becomes."
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