Microbial Genome Sequencing: Shotgun Sequencing of Tetrahymena thermophila

嗜热四膜虫是研究基础真核实验细胞和分子生物学、比较基因组学和功能基因组学的优秀模式微生物。四膜虫是一种自由生活的、非致病的真核生物，被称为肺泡目。由于四膜虫在分子和细胞水平上与动物具有显著的功能保守性(比酵母等其他模式系统更具保守性)，而且科学家已经开发出强大而新颖的分子遗传学工具来研究其生物学，四膜虫是研究动物生物学的理想模式系统。四膜虫也是研究真核生物和相关病原生物(如疟疾病原体)的极佳模式系统。该项目是基因组研究所(TIGR)和四膜虫研究界共同努力的一个项目，其主要目标是对表达的(大核)嗜热梭菌基因组进行全基因组鸟枪测序、组装和注释。该项目有三个目标：(1)全基因组猎枪序列和组装大核基因组到3.5倍的序列覆盖深度(已经从NIH获得了额外的3倍覆盖的资金，因此NSF和NIH的支持综合起来将是6到7倍覆盖的结果)；(2)注释和分析基因组序列，包括鉴定推测的基因，预测基因功能，以及其他基因组分析的标准特征；(3)通过建立基因组间连接的数据库，方便用户和自由访问嗜热梭菌基因组序列和注释。这是一个微生物基因组测序奖，由国家科学基金会和农业部之间的合作活动资助。

Tetrahymena thermophila is an excellent model microbial organism for fundamental eukaryotic experimental cell and molecular biology and for comparative and functional genomics. Tetrahymena is a free-living, non-pathogenic member of a unique group of eukaryotes known as the Alveolata. Because Tetrahymena exhibits remarkable functional conservation at the molecular and cellular level with animals (more so than other model systems such as yeast) and because scientists have developed robust and novel molecular genetic tools for studying its biology, Tetrahymena is an ideal model system for the investigation of animal biology. Tetrahymena is also an excellent model system for general studies of eukaryotes and for studies of related pathogenic organisms such as the causative agent of malaria. The primary goal of this project, a collaborative effort of The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and the Tetrahymena research community, is the whole-genome shotgun-sequencing, assembly and annotation of the expressed (macronuclear) T. thermophila genome. The project has three aims: (1) To whole-genome shotgun sequence and assemble the macronuclear genome to a depth of 3.5-fold sequence coverage (Funding for an additional 3-fold coverage has been obtained from the NIH, so the combined result of NSF and NIH support will be 6 to 7-fold coverage.); (2) to annotate and analyze the genome sequence, including the identification of putative genes, prediction of gene function, and other features standard for genomic analysis; and (3) to facilitate user-friendly and free access to the T. thermophila genome sequence and annotation by the creation of interlinked genome databases. This is a Microbial Genome Sequencing Award funded through a collaborative activity between the National Science Foundation and the Department of Agriculture.