June 10, 2011

Source: Current Science, Vol. 100, No. 11, 10 June 2011
by S. R. Bhat
nPusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012, India

Whole genome sequencing of higher organisms was considered a major challenge about two decades ago. Thanks to the rapid developments in sequencing technologies, genome sequencing has now become faster, cheaper and technically less demanding. India participated in international genome sequencing projects of rice and tomato, and has independently initiated work on whole genome sequencing of Mesorhizobium ciceri and buffalo. With whole genome sequence data of more than 1500 organisms already available in public databases, and more added on a weekly basis, the excitement is waning. Considering that structural genomics is only the starting point for a detailed analysis of function, the investment in whole genome sequencing needs to be balanced with its intended downstream applications. In this article, we discuss the relevance of whole genome sequencing for agricultural applications and emphasize the need for urgent investment in development of appropriate tools, biological resources and human capacity in biotechnology and bioinformatics to reap full benefits.

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