ABSTRACT
The fly Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most intensively studied organisms in biology and serves as a model system for the investigation of many developmental and cellular processes common to higher eukaryotes, including humans. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of nearly all of the approximately 120-megabase euchromatic portion of the Drosophila genome using a whole-genome shotgun sequencing strategy supported by extensive clone-based sequence and a high-quality bacterial artificial chromosome physical map. Efforts are under way to close the remaining gaps; however, the sequence is of sufficient accuracy and contiguity to be declared substantially complete and to support an initial analysis of genome structure and preliminary gene annotation and interpretation. The genome encodes approximately 13,600 genes, somewhat fewer than the smaller Caenorhabditis elegans genome, but with comparable functional diversity.
Subject(s)
Drosophila melanogaster/genetics , Genome , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Animals , Biological Transport/genetics , Chromatin/genetics , Cloning, Molecular , Computational Biology , Contig Mapping , Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/genetics , DNA Repair/genetics , DNA Replication/genetics , Drosophila melanogaster/metabolism , Euchromatin , Gene Library , Genes, Insect , Heterochromatin/genetics , Insect Proteins/chemistry , Insect Proteins/genetics , Insect Proteins/physiology , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Protein Biosynthesis , Transcription, GeneticABSTRACT
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was identified in 1986 and roseola infantum was the first disease linked to HHV-6. To date, a large variety of clinical syndromes have been associated with HHV-6. Age of the patient is the most important factor when considering HHV-6 as a possible cause of infection. It is a major pathogen for children aged 6 to 24 months. In addition, HHV-6 is an important pathogen in the immunocompromised host and may cause ailments of the central nervous system. These later two conditions are most likely to be benefited from the application of anti-viral drug when it becomes available. HHV-6 is an example that virus hides within the immunologic cells and displays a complex interaction with the host cells. The discovery of HHV-6 offers a lesson for clinicians to anticipate new viruses deriving from unexpected sites within the human body; furthermore, HHV-6 provides a model for studying the clinical role of a new herpesvirus.