$0 genomics project
From Biohack
See also the Personal Genome Project or locally, the personal genome project. There's also a community over at: personalgenomes.org. See also: SNPedia.
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Introduction to the $0 genomics project
DNA sequencing allows the translation of nucleotides to bits and bytes. So far, J. Craig Venter and Watson have had their genomes sequenced. Given DNA synthesizers, as well as a variety of techniques in ivf, SCNT, PCR, transformation, etc., it will be possible to basically copy that DNA back into an egg and grow a clone. The goal of the $0 genomics project is to create the tools, documentation and all necessary information on building a cheap sequencing machine, as well as a way to record DNA and, in particular, begin the storage of DNA. Ideally, this will be understandable by the average community librarian so that a (mostly) self-maintaining computer cluster plus DNA sequencer can be deployed in some extra storage space and begin archiving community DNA. Perhaps the Internet Archive will maintain archives, or the Long Now Foundation.
The original $0 genomics project
Can be found here. But it's more a government petition than an actual attempt at designing, building and deploying enabling technologies.
Project outline
- Design and implement prototype, open source DNA sequencer.
- Design computer cluster required to operate the sequencer and maintain RAID/tape backups of DNA.
- Backend torrenting and p2p distribution systems for people to download genomes.
- Note that nonsense genomes can be inserted into the system easily enough. Signal-to-noise will drop, but how much of a problem would this be?
- Backend torrenting and p2p distribution systems for people to download genomes.
- Hardware and software (for the cluster; sequencer will have onboard firmware).
- Deploy social context and the biotech.
