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CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS
Citation:
Waters, M D. CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS. Presented at 30th Annual Meeting of EEMS, Budapest, Hungary, August 22-26, 2000.
Description:
CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE IN ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS
Michael D. Waters
US Environmental Protection Agency, MD-51A, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 USA
Our rapidly growing understanding of the structure of the human genome is forming the basis for numerous new molecular approaches to identify human responses to environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Gene expression data can be produced using technologies such as DNA microarrays, reverse transcript imaging, amplified fragment length polymorphism, serial analysis of gene expression and others. Gene expression profiling will dramatically increase our understanding of human exposure and susceptibility and will directly contribute to defining the mechanism of action of chemicals and drugs. Proteomics will quantify protein expression, providing a down-stream snapshot of gene regulation, protein synthesis and stability in the control of cell function. Genomics and proteomics research by definition require an understanding of biological molecules of interest in the context of many thousands of others. Unlike traditional study of one gene, gene product, or process at a time, the researcher will generate a large set of molecular data, perhaps with limited ability to predict its utility or application. The challenge then is to select and to monitor the right genes and to properly understand the relationship between genotype and phenotype. Strategies must be developed to do this. DNA sequence polymorphisms in genes that can determine human susceptibility and sensitivity are being mapped and characterized in large numbers. Some of these polymorphisms have little, if any, effect on the expression or function of a protein, while others dramatically alter protein activity and human response to chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Risk assessments and drug regimens that incorporate this new information can be used to better protect human populations. Unfortunately, the new technological approaches being applied in genomic and proteomic analyses can and will overwhelm the current information infrastructure. The challenge is not simply to manage the data flow that will be generated by these new approaches but to properly interpret the information in the light of current knowledge. To do this effectively will require new information systems and new biological models. Our goal should be not only to produce the data but also to develop new analytic strategies and tools to interpret it. [This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily represent EPA policy.]