NEWS OF THE WEEK GENOMICS
ture most human genetic variaIN BRIEF: tion, despite the small number MARS VISTA of individuals involved. In a commentary, sociology professor Troy Duster of New ^brk University observes that the study is "designed to help better understand the molecular basis of disease." A drug combination called BiDil was recently found A northwest perspecRESEARCH TEAM HAS CARtechnology to analyze 1.59 mil- effective against heart disease tive of Mars's Candor ried out one of the most lion SNPs in each of 71 people in African Americans only and Chasma, captured by detailed analyses to date of from three groups: European, could become thefirstrace-spe- the European Space patterns of genetic variation in African American, and Han Chi- cific drug, but studies like that of Agency's Mars Express Cox and coworkers could make spacecraft, lies in the muchfinerdistinctions possible, Vallis Marineris, where calcium-rich sulfates— he notes. In another commentary, asso- likely gypsum—permeciate professor ofgenetics and of ate the terrain. These medicine David M. Altshuler of sulfate deposits, Harvard Medical School and mo- formed by processes lecular biology and genetics pro- that involved water, are fessor Andrew G. Clark of Cor- reported in Science nell University point out that a [published online Feb. public data set ofmore than 1 mil- 17, http://dx.doi.org/ lion SNPs in each of 270 people 10.1126/science. has been generated by the Inter- 1109087]. national HapMap Consortium. This and the Perlegen data—plus CHI PS Cox and coworkers used DNA chips like these to new rapid and inexpensive SNP analysis techniques—"are paving analyze SNP patterns in three human subpopulations. the way for comprehensive assopeople of different ethnicities. nese [Science, 307,1072 (2005)}. ciation studies involving common The work represents a significant The result is a publicly accessi- human genetic variations," they step toward the ability to identi- ble data set that manages to cap- write.-STU B0RMAN fy genes that underlie individual or group variations in suscepti- B U S I N E S S bility to disease. Genomes of different individuals are well over 99% identical. The most typical variations are survey by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) of its member companies predicts that U.S. changes called single-nucleotide chemical sales in 2005 will increase 5.6% over last year while net operating income will conpolymorphisms (SNPs), in which tinue to show double-digit growth, rising 24.8%. The respondents are overwhelmingly optione or another oftwo DNA bases mistic, with 87% seeing sales gains against only 8% predicting declines. For net operating income, is found at an identical genomic 97% expect higher results. location in different people. The survey results, which are weighted averages for respondents, are broken down among small, SNPs or patterns of SNPs can medium, and large companies and between basic and specialty chemical producers. The growth in be associated with different sales will be led by the medium-sized firms, which expect an increase of 8.5%, while the large and traits, such as variations in dis- small producers see growth of 4.5% and 7.2%, respectively. ease susceptibility or drug reSmall and medium-sized firms will see above-average growth in net operating income. Small sponsiveness. However, the rela- companies predict 39.3% growth, while those in the middle expect an increase of 41.1%. Large protionship between SNP variations ducers predict only an 18.5% improvement. and diseaseriskin people of difSpecialty chemical companies expect a higher sales increase, at 7.6%, than do basic chemical ferent ethnicities is currently firms, at 4.5%. But growth in net operating income for specialties is forecast to be 21.3%, less than unclear. the 26.8% that basic chemical companies are counting on. Now, Chief Scientific Officer Costs will continue to rise in 2005. The survey predicts an 8.2% increase in feedstock unit costs. Basic David R. Cox of Perlegen Sci- chemical producers expect a 9.4% increase, while specialty companies see a much smaller 5.9% rise. ences, Mountain View, Calif, and The situation is reversed for energy unit costs, with specialty producers predicting a 7.5% increase coworkers have used DNA chip and basic producers, a slightly lower 7.2% growth.-WILLIAM ST0RCK
MAPPING HUMAN GENETIC VARIATION
Detailed analysis of genomic differences may advance customized medicine
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ACC Survey Sees More Chemical Growth
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C & E N / FEBRUARY 2 1 . 2005
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