CEITEC
BRNO | CZECH REPUBLIC



                             central european institute of technology



                                              CEITEC



                                   Genomics and proteomics at MU

                                            Jiří Fajkus

Genomics

ü  interested in GENOME – complete genetic info (DNA/RNA sequence) of an organism (3Gb-human)

ü  ca. 25 000 human genes

ü  » 2% genome













ü Potential of genomics : fast analysis of gene mutations and changes in gene expression (at the
mRNA level)

Þ detection of inherited disorders, pathogens, genetic manipulations, molecular oncology...



ü Novel DNA sequencing platforms

ü cDNA microarrays



ü Why PROTEOMICS?

ü Only limited repertoire of events directly depends on DNA sequence

    (25 000 genes  several millions proteins )

   1 organism Þ 1 genome ´ many proteomes













Core facility “Genomics and Proteomics”

Core facility “Genomics and Proteomics”: integration of sophisticated technologies

Core facility “Genomics and Proteomics”





Bacterial genetics and genomics

ü  Human, emerging and re-emerging pathogens

ü  Whole genome sequencing strategies

ü Whole genome fingerprinting (physical mapping)

ü Comparative genome sequencing (microarray)

ü Pyrosequencing, Solexa sequencing, SOLiD sequencing, Sanger sequencing

ü  Analyses of bacterial transcriptome

ü Gene annotations

ü Analyses of gene regulatory networks









Goals of whole-genome sequencing

ü Identification of virulence factors (better treatment of infectious diseases)

ü Identification of prominent bacterial antigens (development of new vaccines)

ü Identification of unique genomic sequences (better diagnostics)

ü Metagenomic sequencing (definition of human microbiome)

ü Epidemiological studies (better preventive measures)









Laboratory of Plant Cytogenomics

Methodology

ü  construction of large insert DNA libraries

ü  high-throughput DNA sequencing

ü  genome comparisons on a sequence

     and chromosomal level

     - bioinformatics

     - molecular cytogenetics

     - comparative phylogenomics



Laboratory of Plant Cytogenomics

ü  Molecular analysis of plant growth and development

ü Functional genomics and proteomics of model plants (Arabidopsis) and crop plants (oil-seed rape)
as a low-cost production systems for e.g. pharmaceutically active proteins (antibodies) and biomass
production



ü Analysis of the protein structure and protein engineering



ü Identification of Proteins Regulating Plant Biomass Production - cytokinins and their receptors
regulate biomass production in plants (in frame of collaboration with Korean colleagues) -
application for patent cooperation treaty (PCT) submitted by MU and Korean partner.



ü Biology of telomeres

ü Structure, evolution and maintenance of plant telomeres (DNA, proteins, chromatin structure,
epigenetics



ü Telomeres and telomerase in oncology diagnostics and therapy



ü Key processes in telomere biology (and in living cell, in general): interaction networks of
proteins, DNA and RNA





Laboratory of separation and analysis
of proteins and their complexes

SUMMARY – Genomics and proteomics



ü  Concentration of “universal” and sophisticated genomic and proteomic equipment and expertise in
core facility – optimum cost-efficiency



ü  Potential for synergistic interactions among research groups, capability to solve complex
projects



ü  Higher competitive strength and attractiveness to international R&D community Þ raising of funds
for science



ü  Emphasis on current internationally competitive research groups, yet flexibility in routing of
future development



ü  Connection to major medical institutions (university hospitals, res. institutes), biotechnology
incubators and institutes of Czech Academy of Sciences