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Title: MEETING EDITORIAL: AGRICULTURAL MICROBES GENOME 2

Author
item JOHNSON, PETER - USDA-CSREES DC
item KEEN, NOEL - PL PATH DEPT CA
item Lunney, Joan
item SADOWSKI, MICHAEL - U MINNESOTA

Submitted to: Comparative and Functional Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/31/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Knowledge of the genomes of agricultural microorganisms is expected to underpin future advances in agriculture into the next quarter century. Genomics will serve as the driving force for research in the life sciences, including agriculture, the environment, and food safety. An accelerated understanding of beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms will lead to more erapid advances in metabolic engineering, the development of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools, the marketing of improved therapeutics and efficacious vaccines, and the conversion of agricultural materials into high-value products such as fuels and chemicals. Although several microbial genomics conferences had become well established prior to 2000, none included a major focus on microbes relevant to agriculture. To foster coordination and information exchange for microbial genomics among the worldwide agricultural community, the USDA is co-sponsoring the Second International Agricultural Microbes Genome (AMG2) Conference in January 2001. This conference report highlights the advances in sequencing, bioinformatics and functional genomics for microbes relevant to the plant, animal, and natural resource areas. At AMG2 there will be 3 plenary sessions included sequencing, technology and bioinformatics, and functional genomics and applications. There will be workshops covering bioinformatics, funding opportunities, and progress of USDA-sponsored genomics projects. Overall, this workshop should improve information exchange among the worldwide agricultural community on microbial genomics projects and aid in coordination of future research efforts.

Technical Abstract: To foster coordination and information exchange for microbial genomics among the worldwide agricultural community, the USDA is co- sponsoring the Second International Agricultural Microbes Genome (AMG2) Conference in January 2001. This report summarizes the planned presentations at AMG2. The meeting will begin with Claire Fraser from TIGR discussing the utility of genome sequencing in studies of physiology and evolution. Other scientists will announce the genomic sequencing of several agriculturally important microbes, including Xanthomonas citri, an economically important pathogen of citrus, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, an important animal pathogen, and Ralstonia solanacearum, a soil borne plant pathogen. Genome comparisons of virulence genes in several Salmonella serovars of animal hosts will be presented. Later sessions will describe bioinformatic approaches to compile and compare the genomic sequences and the relevant metabolic pathways shared between widely divergent microbes. USDA microbial genomics grantees will participate in a workshop to review their progress. Finally proteomics and functional gene expression studies will be presented as scientists move from genomic sequencing into determining actual function of specific genes. It is anticipated that microbial genomics will lead to an accelerated understanding of beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms will lead to more rapid advances in metabolic engineering, the development of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools, the marketing of improved therapeutics and efficacious vaccines, and the conversion of agricultural materials into high-value products such as fuels and chemicals.