Celera Completes Sequencing of 9.3 Billion Base Pairs of Mouse Genome; Genetic Diversity between Mouse Strains Provides Extensive Mouse SNP Database.

Health/Medical Writers

ROCKVILLE, Md.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 12, 2000

Celera Genomics (NYSE:CRA), a PE Corporation business, announced today that it has completed sequencing 9.3 billion base pairs -- letters of genetic code -- of mouse DNA. Celera, which began sequencing the mouse in April 2000, has sequenced the 129X1/SvJ, DBA/2J, and A/J strains of mouse, and now has 3X-fold coverage of the mouse genome, ensuring 95 percent representation of the mouse genome. Celera has discovered single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the mouse strains, which it intends to use in a mouse SNP database. This genetic diversity may aid in the understanding of human genetic diversity and potential causes of human disease.

"The mouse genome is an invaluable tool to interpret the human genome and in biomedical research using mice as animal models," said J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., Celera's president and chief scientific officer. "Our subscribers now have the mouse genome available to them to identify locations on the human genome where mouse and human genes and regulatory regions have been conserved through evolution, which should aid these researchers in making important discoveries through this comparison of the genomes."

Celera's 3X-fold coverage should help researchers make key discoveries, however; Celera now intends to continue sequencing and combine all of its sequence information with publicly available data when it is generated to assemble the most complete picture of the mouse genome. The recently announced public Mouse Sequencing Consortium intends to sequence the "Black 6" strain of mouse to 2.5X to 3X coverage, which should complement the three strains that Celera has sequenced and add further genetic diversity to the Celera mouse database. Sequencing several strains of mouse is expected to provide researchers using different strains of mouse with relevant polymorphism information and should ensure that Celera's database of mouse single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) will be one of the most comprehensive in the world.

A key component of Celera's online information business model is to provide subscribers with the data and proprietary bioinformatics tools to compare genomes from various organisms (comparative genomics). The comparison of the mouse, Drosophila, human, and other model organisms genomes is expected to open many new avenues of research into the mechanisms of gene conservation and regulation, which could lead to a better understanding of gene function and disease mechanisms. Having access to the mouse genome should allow researchers to make important discoveries in the regulation of human genes based on common structure and mechanisms shared with mouse genes.

Celera intends to become the definitive source of genomic and related medical information. To achieve this goal, it has developed an on-line information business built upon the generation, aggregation, integration, and analysis of biological data. Its databases are the most extensive in the industry today and are being expanded rapidly.

PE Corporation comprises two operating groups. The Celera Genomics Group, headquartered in Rockville, MD, intends to become the definitive source of genomic and related medical information. The PE Biosystems Group (NYSE:PEB), now conducting business under the Applied Biosystems name, develops and markets instrument-based systems, reagents, software, and contract services to the life science industry and research community. Applied Biosystems is headquartered in Foster City, CA and reported sales of $1.4 billion during fiscal 2000. Information about the company, including reports and other information filed by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, is available on the World Wide Web at www.pecorporation.com or by phoning 800/762-6923.

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking. These may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should," "intend," "planned," "estimated," and "potential," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on PE Corporation's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, PE Corporation notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development, and results of Celera Genomics' businesses include but are not limited to (1) operating losses to date; (2) a unique and developing business plan; (3) dependence on the timely completion of the sequencing and assembly of the human genome; (4) uncertainty of revenue growth; (5) unproven use of genomics information to develop products; (6) intense competition in the evolving genomics industry; (7) dependence on customers in and subject to the risks of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries; (8) heavy reliance on strategic relationship with the PE Biosystems group; (9) potential product liability claims; (10) liabilities related to use of hazardous materials; (11) lengthy sales cycle; (12) dependence on the unique expertise of its scientific and management staff; (13) uncertainty of patent, copyright and intellectual property protection; (14) dependence on computer hardware, software, and internet applications; (15) access to biological materials; (16) legal, ethical and social issues affecting demand for products; (17) disruptions caused by rapid growth of the business; (18) government regulation of its products and services; (19) risks of future acquisitions; and (20) other factors that might be described from time to time in PE Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Note to Editors: Celera, Celera Genomics, and PE Biosystems/Applied Biosystems are trademarks of PE Corporation.