Navigating a New Frontier

Genome maps help scientists find their way around in an organism's genome -- all of its genetic material. These maps are not nearly as detailed as a road map, or a genome sequence with its thousands to billions of letters, but they can aid scientists by pointing out areas for further exploration.

Families affected by certain kinds of hereditary diseases, for example, will demonstrate certain features in their genome maps that serve as "landmarks" or "gene markers" for that disease.

Some parts of a genome map may be very detailed and complete, while other areas are relatively uncharted. As scientists keep exploring the genome, learning more about the genes in an organism, the map will become more accurate and detailed.

Shown here is a schematic representation of Bacillus subtilis, a species of bacteria found in soil and decomposing matter. Some strains of this bacterium can be used to produce antibiotics. Each color represents a different functional group of genes involved in tasks such as regulatory functions, energy metabolism, and others. For a look at other organisms' genomes, visit the Comprehensive Microbial Resource, a free Web site maintained by the J. Craig Venter Institute. Scroll down to the "Genome Tools" to find and explore the lists of organisms.

Sources:
Genome News Network: What's a Genome
J. Craig Venter Institute