ENCODE-Encyclopedia Of DNA Elements

ENCODE= the Encyclopedia Of DNA Elements

ENCODE was started in September 2003 to identify all functional elements in the human genome sequence by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Project has three phases.

1. a pilot project phase-testing and comparing existing methods to rigorously analyze a defined portion of the human genome sequence

2. a technology development
3. a planned production phase

Full details can be found at http://www.genome.gov/10005107

This week Nature published the results of the pilot phase of ENCODE project.


Identification and analysis of functional elements in 1% of the human genome by the ENCODE pilot project
The ENCODE Project Consortium*
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7146/pdf/nature05874.pdf

One of the main conclusions they are pointing to is that there is a lot of places wherethere appears to be conservation of function (transcription and it's regulation) without conservation of sequence. Very interesting.. but long way to go.