2000 was a banner year for scientists deciphering the "book of life"; this year saw the completion of the genome sequences of complex organisms ranging from the fruit fly to the human. Science marks the production of this torrent of genome data as the Breakthrough of 2000; it might well be the breakthrough of the decade, perhaps even the century, for all its potential to alter our view of the world we live in.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Aging research. Old flies may hold secrets of aging.

On page 2137, a research team reports the discovery of a gene that, when altered, can double the life-span of fruit flies and may one day offer the promise of perpetual youth. Preliminary data suggest that the protein encoded by this gene transports and recycles metabolic byproducts. The researchers think that defects in the gene can lead to production of a protein that renders metabolism less efficient; as a result the body functions as if the fruit fly were dieting, even though its eating habits are unchanged. The work may lead to a better understanding of how metabolism plays into aging.

Aging↗

PubMed2000

Sequence. Plants join the genome sequencing bandwagon.

An international consortium announced this week that it has finished the first genome sequence of a higher plant. For plant biologists, the eagerly awaited genome of this small weed, Arabidopsis thaliana, offers a window into the genetic makeup of all plants, including key crops. And it's a clear window indeed, as the six international sequencing teams on three continents have produced a genome sequence that is more complete than that of any multicellular organism which has been published to date. Through this window, they are seeing for the first time that plants may be much more complex than many biologists have imagined.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2000

Ecology. Stalking the wild mustard.

Arabidopsis thaliana is not just for plant biologists anymore. A few intrepid ecologists and evolutionary biologists are now touting its merits as a system in which to study the genetic basis of the traits they study. The newly completed genome sequence is allowing researchers to connect the genotype--an organism's particular mix of genes--with its phenotype--how that organism develops and acts--in ways that have not been possible in other organisms whose genetics are not as well known.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2000

Arabidopsis kin help keep genetics studies all in the family.

An unobtrusive weed often found at roadsides and other disturbed sites, Arabidopsis thaliana has risen from its humble roots to become the model organism, or "lab rat," for studying plant molecular biology. Now, by comparing the genetic makeup and characteristics of A. thaliana to its cousins, evolutionary biologists can discern how the plant has changed through time.

Arabidopsis↗

PubMed2000

Parasitology. Close encounters: good, bad, and ugly.

Microbiologists often focus on one organism and its relationship to its host at one point in time. But viewed in light of evolution, host-parasite relationships range from deadly to helpful, depending on the communication between them. At a meeting here last month of virologists, bacteriologists, parasitologists, and molecular biologists--each dealing with different microorganisms in distinct ways--researchers lamented that evolution is often considered outside the bailiwick of microbiologists, particularly those studying infectious diseases.

Animals↗