AFTER THREE DECADES, SCIENTISTS HAVE SEQUENCED THE ENTIRE HUMAN GENOME

Researchers have finally sequenced the entire human genome and uncovered epigenetic patterns, 30 years after the mission first began.

In a paper published in the journal Science the group of researchers, who make up the telomere-to-telomere consortium (a community-based effort to generate the first complete assembly of a human genome,) published the first truly complete 3.055 billion base pair sequence of a human genome.

Technological barriers have previously meant that eight per cent of the genome remained inaccessible. But now, using sequencing technology from Oxford Nanopore and others, this has finally been overcome.

Dr Gordon Sanghera, CEO at Oxford Nanopore Technologies, said: “The mission to sequence the whole human genome started more than 30 years ago and we are delighted to see the telomere-to-telomere consortium has now finished the first truly complete, more than three billion base pair, sequence.

“Oxford Nanopore’s high accuracy and ultra-long sequencing capabilities have finally removed technological barriers and enabled the final eight per cent of the genome to be revealed.

“We congratulate all the fantastic scientists that have contributed to this ground-breaking project.”

Understanding the human genomes can help scientists in their pursuit to identify the cause of genetic diseases.

Some rare diseases are caused by as little as a single change (variant), like a spelling mistake, in someone’s DNA. Looking at the genome of a person affected by a rare disease can help find which DNA changes might be causing the problem.

Epigenetics is the study of how behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way a person’s genes work.

£1 million veterinary practice Vet’s Klinic to open in Reading

There are now 34 million pets in the UK including 12 million cats, 12 million dogs, more than three million small mammals three million birds and 1.5 million reptiles. There are also five million aquaria. This equates to 17 million households responsible for a pet’s welfare.

And UK vets are keen to take advantage of the boom. The innovative practice Vet’s Klinic is opening its second business after signing a 10-year deal for a unit in Reading.

The new practice is on Headley Road East, Woodley and the 7,024 sq ft unit will include four consultation rooms, an operating room, digital X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory, dental suite and advanced anaesthetic monitoring. It will also include a cattery and isolation cattery, kennels and isolation kennels, waiting rooms and dispensary.

Vet’s Klinic is part of Swindon-based Pets’ Kitchen which also owns the Vet’s Kitchen brand of pet food.