ONSA

Organization for Nucleotide Sequencing and Analysis

Objectives

The main goal of this project is to create a network of laboratories in the State of São Paulo to sequence the complete genome of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa. This bacteria with an approximate genome size of 2.000.000 bases is a plant pathogen that infects orange trees causing CVC a disease called "amarelinho" in Brazil. More information on the organism; on the disease and on the economic impact of the disease to the economy of the State of São Paulo can be obtained by the links above. This joint effort should significantly increase the number of laboratories in the state capable of using modern molecular biology techniques.

The project also intends to provide a contemporary training in basic molecular biology to graduate students needed to develop Biotechnology and the "genome culture" in Brazil. It represent an opportunity for research groups not familiar with basic molecular biology to get hands on training in these techniques for later incorporation into their own research programs.

The focus of this project is to develop the ability to sequence the genetic material of a microorganism on a large scale, providing detailed genetic information important to agriculture and related areas.

From the view of basic science, this effort will enable Brazil to contribute to the current international attempt to compare the complete genetic information of different microorganisms with different properties. This will be the first sequencing of the genome of a plant pathogen.