Agencourt Sequences Bacterial Genome in Collaboration With Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Maryland.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

BEVERLY, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--June 17, 2002

Rickettsia Sibirica Sequencing Project May Provide Insight into Other

Infectious Organisms Potentially Useful as Bioterrorism Agents

Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, a provider of genomic services and products to the life sciences industry, today announced that it has sequenced the genome of the bacterium Rickettsia sibirica. This information may help researchers develop strategies for preventing and treating diseases caused by certain rickettsial organisms, including several that have been identified as potential bioterrorism agents. The sequencing project was completed with the assistance of collaborators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Rickettsia sibirica is present throughout a large area of Russia and China and causes a wide range of symptoms in infected individuals," said Marina Eremeeva, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who has been investigating the complex interactions of host and microorganism that contribute to disease. "This new genetic information on the rickettsiae, combined with that obtained by the Human Genome Project, will help us to understand the causes of the cellular injury that occur during infection." Dr. Eremeeva is currently working at CDC as a guest researcher studying the role of human genes in severe forms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Using its high throughput sequencing pipeline, unique shotgun sequencing strategies and advanced genome finishing methods, Agencourt was able to create a completely ordered, high-quality draft of the Rickettsia sibirica genome in a single week. Purified DNA for the sequencing project was provided to Agencourt by investigators studying rickettsiae at the CDC and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which are also assisting with annotation of the genome sequence and characterization of the rickettsial genes and proteins identified in the project. Understanding the genetic pathway information of less virulent species will provide valuable insight into the mechanisms of infection of more dangerous strains such as R. prowazekii and R. rickettsii, two bacteria identified in the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which includes a Select Agents List of microbes and toxins that may pose threats to public health and safety.

"The sequence information generated from Rickettsia sibirica will greatly help us in our efforts to determine why some rickettsiae are more able to cause human disease than others," said Dr. Gregory Dasch, Chief of the Rickettsial Section and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Reference Center for Rickettsial and Bartonella-associated Diseases at the Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at CDC. "Understanding why certain rickettsiae are more infectious and cause more damage than others will help us to develop new strategies for prevention and treatment of these diseases and benefit people in many countries. The approaches developed in this project will also be useful in the ongoing efforts to minimize the harm that can be caused by acts of bioterrorism."

"Agencourt is a proud contributor to this important project. The fact that Agencourt was able to sequence the genome in only a week underscores our ability to provide high-quality data effectively and efficiently," said Brian McKernan, CEO and President of Agencourt Bioscience Corporation. "Agencourt will continue to work with the CDC and the University of Maryland on analysis of the genome and its functional proteomics."

The three groups will continue with their collaboration on the analysis of the genome of Rickettsia sibirica to facilitate development of new therapeutics, diagnostic reagents and vaccines for rickettsiae, and the creation of advanced methods for the molecular characterization of gene products that will assist in investigations of viral and microbial virulence.

Rickettsia sibirica is one of 16 species in the genus Rickettsia that are known to cause human disease in regions around the world. In the United States, rickettsiae are most commonly known as etiologic agents of diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, rickettsialpox and murine typhus. All are transmitted by ectoparasites, including mites, fleas, lice and ticks. Many other species of Rickettsia found in these hosts and in other invertebrates are not known to cause human disease, but the genetic factors contributing to their lack of pathogenicity are not well understood.

About the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the lead federal agency responsible for developing and applying methods of disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities to improve of the health of the people of the United States and worldwide. CDC also provides a credible and respected source of information on global health issues and helps to develop policy on public health issues through strong partnerships with international, national, state, and local health authorities. CDC, whose headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. David W. Fleming is the Acting Director. More information is available on the Web at http://www.cdc.gov/.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

The School of Medicine was established in 1807. It is the first public and the fifth oldest medical school in the United States and the first to institute a residency training program. The School of Medicine was the founding school of the University of Maryland and today it is an integral part of the 11-campus University of Maryland System. On the University of Maryland at Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine serves as the foundation for a large academic health center that combines medical education, biomedical research, patient care and community service. While its tradition of excellence remains constant, the School of Medicine and its reputation for academic achievement continue to grow under the leadership of its Dean, Donald E. Wilson, MD, M.A.C.P., Vice President for Medical Affairs. More information is available on the Web at http://medschool.umaryland.edu/.

About Agencourt Bioscience Corporation

Agencourt Bioscience Corporation is a provider of genomic services and products to the life sciences industry. Agencourt solutions help biotech and pharmaceutical companies improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their drug development pipelines. The company's proven and patented Solid Phase Reversible Immobilization (SPRI(TM)) technology has been used to sequence over 20 billion base pairs of high-quality DNA or more than one-third of the human genome. Several of Agencourt's founders worked at the Whitehead Institute Center for Genome Research, and have significant experience in marrying the chemistries and instrumentation required for high-throughput genomics. Agencourt is located in Beverly, Mass. More information is available on the Web at http://www.agencourt.com/.