Reference genomes serve as a representation of the gene set of an idealised individual organism of a species. | Photo: David Ausserhofer
ERGA is the European hub of the global Earth BioGenome Project (EBP). EBP has set itself the goal of sequencing all eukaryotic life on Earth. The ERGA pilot project was initiated in early 2021 by Dr Camila Mazzoni from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and the Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv) and has since produced the reference genomes for 98 species in a collaborative pan-European effort.
Reference genomes are created by researchers as a representation of the gene set of an idealised individual organism of a species. They are based on the sequencing of the DNA of a group of individuals and thus represent a haploid mosaic of different DNA sequences. As a result, the individual genetic variations of a species are better represented than by the sequence of a single genome. “Reference genomes offer immense potential for various areas of biology, from ecology to evolution. They are not only relevant for basic research, but also for the protection of endangered species, human health, bioeconomy, biosecurity and many other applications”, said Dr Matthias Stöck, who represents IGB in the project together with Dr Heiner Kuhl.
Blueprint for collaborative genome research without a central source of funding
The ERGA pilot project has also shown that a decentralised, collaborative and coordinated genome project can be effective, even on a continental scale and without a central source of funding. Most of the funds were raised by individual members and partner institutions, supported by sequencing partners and commercial sequencing companies.
A particular focus of the project was on equity and inclusion to make genomic research and the resources it requires accessible to all. The ERGA pilot project enabled many scientists and countries to actively participate in the creation of reference genomes and utilise state-of-the-art resources to explore their native biodiversity for the first time.
The challenges of the project included legal and logistical hurdles in the cross-border transport of biological samples, the different resource endowments of the countries and the search for a balance between decentralisation and standardisation.
The success of the pilot project in developing its own profile and bringing researchers together demonstrates the strength of this model, according to the participants in the article in the scientific journal.
