The completion of the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC).

Since its start, the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) has sought to provide at least one full-protein-coding sequence cDNA clone for every human and mouse gene with a RefSeq transcript, and at least 6200 rat genes. The MGC cloning effort initially relied on random expressed sequence tag screening of cDNA libraries. Here, we summarize our recent progress using directed RT-PCR cloning and DNA synthesis.

The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC).

The National Institutes of Health's Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) project was designed to generate and sequence a publicly accessible cDNA resource containing a complete open reading frame (ORF) for every human and mouse gene. The project initially used a random strategy to select clones from a large number of cDNA libraries from diverse tissues. Candidate clones were chosen based on 5'-EST sequences, and then fully sequenced to high accuracy and analyzed by algorithms developed for this project.

Generation and initial analysis of more than 15,000 full-length human and mouse cDNA sequences.

The National Institutes of Health Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) Program is a multiinstitutional effort to identify and sequence a cDNA clone containing a complete ORF for each human and mouse gene. ESTs were generated from libraries enriched for full-length cDNAs and analyzed to identify candidate full-ORF clones, which then were sequenced to high accuracy. The MGC has currently sequenced and verified the full ORF for a nonredundant set of >9,000 human and >6,000 mouse genes.

Herpes simplex virus (type 1) thymidine kinase gene does not transform cells morphologically.

BALB/c-derived 10E2 cells were made thymidine kinase(TK)-negative and one isolated clone (B2) was used for studying morphological and biochemical transformations by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 (strain 10412). The B2 cells displayed a "normal" flat appearance and were nontumorigenic in nude mice when tested at frequent intervals over a period of 45 subcultures. B2 cells infected with UV-irradiated HSV (UV-HSV) and maintained in normal growth medium showed foci of spindle-shaped cells after one subculture.