Genome Reference Consortium
Encyclopedia
The Genome Reference Consortium (GRC) is a group of educational institutes which was formed to improve the representation of reference genome
s. At the time the human reference
was initially described, it was clear that some regions were recalcitrant to closure with existing technology. The main reason for improving the reference assemblies are that they are the cornerstones upon which all whole genome studies are based (i.e. the 1000 Genomes Project).
Initially the focus lies with the Human
and the Mouse
reference genomes with additional model organisms to be added at a later time. The goal of the Consortium is to correct the small number of regions in the reference that are currently misrepresented, to close as many remaining gaps as possible and to produce alternative assemblies of structurally variant loci
when necessary.
Reference genome
A reference genome is a digital nucleic acid sequence database, assembled by scientists as a representative example of a species' genetic code. As they are often assembled from the sequencing of DNA from a number of donors, reference genomes do not accurately represent the genetic code of any...
s. At the time the human reference
Human Genome Project
The Human Genome Project is an international scientific research project with a primary goal of determining the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up DNA, and of identifying and mapping the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes of the human genome from both a physical and functional...
was initially described, it was clear that some regions were recalcitrant to closure with existing technology. The main reason for improving the reference assemblies are that they are the cornerstones upon which all whole genome studies are based (i.e. the 1000 Genomes Project).
Initially the focus lies with the Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
and the Mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
reference genomes with additional model organisms to be added at a later time. The goal of the Consortium is to correct the small number of regions in the reference that are currently misrepresented, to close as many remaining gaps as possible and to produce alternative assemblies of structurally variant loci
Locus (genetics)
In the fields of genetics and genetic computation, a locus is the specific location of a gene or DNA sequence on a chromosome. A variant of the DNA sequence at a given locus is called an allele. The ordered list of loci known for a particular genome is called a genetic map...
when necessary.