Open Access Site Shares Microbial Genome Data

Whole genome sequences of the microbes Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides were released in sample datasets on an open-access website.

The bacteria were sequenced with consensus accuracies greater than 99.995%. Each sample dataset, containing between six and 12 million aligned reads, was generated from one channel of a 50-channel run on the HeliScope Single Molecule Sequencer.

The open access site for sharing data sets and bioinformatics software tools is called the HeliSphere Technology Center. It was launched by Helicos BioSciences Corporation (Cambridge, MA, USA) during the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics. The meeting took place in Philadelphia (PA, USA) on November 13-15, 2008.

Data from a number of sequencing projects currently underway will be posted on the HeliSphere Technology Center Web site on a regular basis. In addition to Helicos data sets, the new Web site is also a gateway to Helicos' open source project, which includes downloadable source code and software documentation.

"The open access site benefits customers and software developers, as well as the wider scientific community by making not only datasets, but source code and support tools easily accessible," commented Helicos CEO Steve Lombardi.

Helicos BioSciences is a life science company focused on genetic analysis technologies for the diagnostic, research, and drug discovery markets. Helicos' proprietary True Single Molecule Sequencing (tSMS) technology allows direct measurement of billions of strands of DNA, enabling scientists to perform experiments and ask questions that were not possible in the past.

Related Links:
HeliSphere Technology Center
Helicos BioSciences Corporation