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Human Gene Mapping 10 (1989): Tenth International Workshop on Human Gene Mapping. Cytogenetic Cell Genet 51:1–1148.
BOOK REVIEW
Human Gene Mapping 10 (1989): Tenth International Workshop on Human Gene Mapping. Cytogenetic Cell Genet 51:1-1148.
The First International Workshop devoted to h u m a n gene m a p p i n g (HGM1) was held in 1973 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Some 75 persons attended and p r o d u c e d a table listing the 25 genes that had been m a p p e d in humans. Two of the 25 gene assignments made at HGM1 proved incorrect. The MNS blood group locus was put on c h r o m o s o m e 2 and now is k n o w n to be on chromosome 4. Hemoglobin was also assigned to chromosome 2. The loci responsible for hemoglobin are n o w k n o w n to be on chromosomes 11 and 16. The error rate at HGM1 was at least 8%. The current c o m p e n d i u m on h u m a n gene mapping appears more accurate. HGM10 took place 16 years later, again in New Haven. The Y chromosome was without a gene in 1973. It n o w has 33 confirmed genes assigned to it, not to speak of many, m a n y more provisional genes thought.to be on the Y. HGM10 is organized like the preceding publications on h u m a n gene mapping: 1. Introductory material 2. Sections on the chromosomes 3. Special topics such as a. Cytogenetic markers (fragile sites) b. Chromosome changes in neoplasia 4. Abstracts of w o r k s h o p presentations and posters 5. Indices HGM10 is, like its predecessors, a model of brilliant organization. Chromosomes 9 and 10 are treated together as are four other pairs of chromosomes. Chromosomes 12 and 13 make particularly peculiar bedmates. The future will hopefully lead to a separation of each chromosome. It is difficult to criticize such a superb publication. However, a good reviewer m u s t carp a little. Certain of the committee reports do not constitute true reports of committees but rather reflect largely, if not exclusively, the views of one or two persons. Even in these h e a d y days of information management systems, there is a need to maintain broadbased committees to summarize and reconcile the data for gene assignments. The field of h u m a n gene m a p p i n g has gone from great pride in assigning a gene to the X c h r o m o s o m e (in the first half of the 20th century) to determining that the Duffy (Fy) blood group was on chromosome 1 (in 1968), to the m a p p i n g of myriad genes today. "The United States Government has committed itself to such a program (the complete m a p p i n g and sequencing of the h u m a n genome) with a stated goal of 200 m i l l i o n dollars support per year." This point is m a d e by Frank Ruddle and Kenneth Kidd in the opening article in HGM10.
141 © 1990 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
Cancer Genet Cytogenet 49:141-142 (1990) 0165-4608/90/$03.50
142
F. Hecht To gain a bit of what this means, "200 m i l l i o n " should be written $200,000,000.00 That is a fair sum of money, and it does not take into account the amounts that may be committed by other governments and by nongovernmental agencies. Gene m a p p i n g has m a d e a remarkable transition from a friendly cottage industry to big business. There are countries with smaller gross national products. With the passing of the cottage-industry phase of gene mapping, I can only rue the days w h e n two or three workers spent 2 or 3 years studying the location of one gene, sometimes without grant support. Those days are past. H u m a n Gene M a p p i n g 11 (HGM11) is due to be held in mid-1991 in London. In between HGMIO and HGM11, continuous updating of the HGM database will be in effect. It is k n o w n as " 1 0 / + . " You can access the 10/+ database electronically. Handwritten letters to the c o m p u t e r are not encouraged but should be sent to the "10/+ A d m i n i s t r a t o r " instead. FREDERICK HECHT
The Genetics Center and The Cancer Center Southwest Biomedical Research Institute and Genetrix, Inc. Scottsdale, Arizona and Jacksonville, Florida
Human Gene Mapping 10 (1989): Tenth International Workshop on Human Gene Mapping. Cytogenetic Cell Genet 51:1-1148.
The First International Workshop devoted to h u m a n gene m a p p i n g (HGM1) was held in 1973 at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Some 75 persons attended and p r o d u c e d a table listing the 25 genes that had been m a p p e d in humans. Two of the 25 gene assignments made at HGM1 proved incorrect. The MNS blood group locus was put on c h r o m o s o m e 2 and now is k n o w n to be on chromosome 4. Hemoglobin was also assigned to chromosome 2. The loci responsible for hemoglobin are n o w k n o w n to be on chromosomes 11 and 16. The error rate at HGM1 was at least 8%. The current c o m p e n d i u m on h u m a n gene mapping appears more accurate. HGM10 took place 16 years later, again in New Haven. The Y chromosome was without a gene in 1973. It n o w has 33 confirmed genes assigned to it, not to speak of many, m a n y more provisional genes thought.to be on the Y. HGM10 is organized like the preceding publications on h u m a n gene mapping: 1. Introductory material 2. Sections on the chromosomes 3. Special topics such as a. Cytogenetic markers (fragile sites) b. Chromosome changes in neoplasia 4. Abstracts of w o r k s h o p presentations and posters 5. Indices HGM10 is, like its predecessors, a model of brilliant organization. Chromosomes 9 and 10 are treated together as are four other pairs of chromosomes. Chromosomes 12 and 13 make particularly peculiar bedmates. The future will hopefully lead to a separation of each chromosome. It is difficult to criticize such a superb publication. However, a good reviewer m u s t carp a little. Certain of the committee reports do not constitute true reports of committees but rather reflect largely, if not exclusively, the views of one or two persons. Even in these h e a d y days of information management systems, there is a need to maintain broadbased committees to summarize and reconcile the data for gene assignments. The field of h u m a n gene m a p p i n g has gone from great pride in assigning a gene to the X c h r o m o s o m e (in the first half of the 20th century) to determining that the Duffy (Fy) blood group was on chromosome 1 (in 1968), to the m a p p i n g of myriad genes today. "The United States Government has committed itself to such a program (the complete m a p p i n g and sequencing of the h u m a n genome) with a stated goal of 200 m i l l i o n dollars support per year." This point is m a d e by Frank Ruddle and Kenneth Kidd in the opening article in HGM10.
141 © 1990 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
Cancer Genet Cytogenet 49:141-142 (1990) 0165-4608/90/$03.50
142
F. Hecht To gain a bit of what this means, "200 m i l l i o n " should be written $200,000,000.00 That is a fair sum of money, and it does not take into account the amounts that may be committed by other governments and by nongovernmental agencies. Gene m a p p i n g has m a d e a remarkable transition from a friendly cottage industry to big business. There are countries with smaller gross national products. With the passing of the cottage-industry phase of gene mapping, I can only rue the days w h e n two or three workers spent 2 or 3 years studying the location of one gene, sometimes without grant support. Those days are past. H u m a n Gene M a p p i n g 11 (HGM11) is due to be held in mid-1991 in London. In between HGMIO and HGM11, continuous updating of the HGM database will be in effect. It is k n o w n as " 1 0 / + . " You can access the 10/+ database electronically. Handwritten letters to the c o m p u t e r are not encouraged but should be sent to the "10/+ A d m i n i s t r a t o r " instead. FREDERICK HECHT
The Genetics Center and The Cancer Center Southwest Biomedical Research Institute and Genetrix, Inc. Scottsdale, Arizona and Jacksonville, Florida