SeqWright Participates in Sequencing the Zebra Finch Brain
Full-length cDNA Library
Houston, TX—July 8, 2003—SeqWright begins sequencing for the Songbird Brain Gene Project for the collaboration between the Jarvis Laboratory at the Duke University Medical Center and the RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center in Japan. Headed by Erich Jarvis and Kazuhiro Wada at Duke University, the project is aimed at creating a songbird (zebra finch) brain cDNA microarray gene chip that will contain brain cDNAs from birds undergoing vocal learning and vocal communication. The overall goal is to advance knowledge of the neural mechanisms for vocal learning, language, and basic mechanisms of brain function and brain evolution.
SeqWright is participating by sequencing cDNAs from the zebra finch library made by the Jarvis Laboratory with the RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center and Genome Science Laboratory. (RIKEN is credited for generating the largest full-length cDNA library collection.) The sequence data obtained will eventually be deposited into the Songbird cDNA Transcriptome Database. This is expected to be one of the most informative cDNA databases on brain expressed genes.
For more information on this project, please visit the Erich Jarvis Laboratory Homepage.
About the Jarvis Lab:
The Jarvis Laboratory studies the neurobiology of vocal communication. Using vocal communication as a model behavior, their goal is to discover how the brain generates, perceives, and learns behavior with emphasis being placed on the molecular pathways involved in the perception and production of learned vocalizations. They use an integrative approach that combines behavioral, anatomical, electrophysiological, and molecular biological techniques. Their main animal model is songbirds—one of the few vertebrate groups that evolved the ability to learn vocalizations. The overall goal of the research is to advance knowledge of the neural mechanisms for vocal learning, language, and basic mechanisms of brain function. Knowledge about brain function in songbirds is expected to lead to a better understanding of the mammalian brain.
About the RIKEN Genomics Group:
The Genomic Sciences Center was established at RIKEN Yokohama Institute, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, in October 2000, which is the fourth campus of RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research). The Genome Research Exploration Group is directed by Yoshihide Hayashizaki, and the gene discovery team is headed by Piero Carninci. The RIKEN genomics group is known for its technology in the generation of some of the best full-length and normalized cDNAs from their work with the mouse transcriptome. The group has already released and annotated 60,770 full-length cDNAs that have been instrumental in characterizing the mouse transcriptome and genome.
About SeqWright:
SeqWright is a contract molecular biology company specializing in DNA sequencing and other related services. Founded in Houston, Texas in 1994 by research scientists with extensive experience in human genomics, DNA sequencing and gene expression, SeqWright was formed specifically to provide comprehensive support for researchers throughout the life sciences community. As a leader in the industry, the company is firmly committed to providing top-quality products and services quickly and consistently. Their method allows for high quality and rapid sequencing of full-length cDNAs, including difficult to sequence genes.