Canadian Lab Unravels SARS With A Beowulf Cluster

Amad writes "A Canadian Genetics Research Lab in BC, Canada has used a Linux Beowulf cluster to help sequence the genetic code of the virus linked to SARS. This lab is the first to crack it, and has posted the data to the public. You can read an article about the discovery, or check out the lab."

Re:\/\/00t!

[gl4ss]

sars has higher mortality rate than the 'killer flu' that killed 20-40 million people in 1918, so keeping it under control is _very_ important, though, the chinese might have very hard time if gets to spread to rural areas where they can't even track it's progress well.

so it's definetely nothing to sneeze at, would f-* hate having to isolate at some cottage for it to pass(oh wait if it had internet i wouldnt notice any difference).

(yeah, sure, hiv has mortality rate of 100%, but to get it you at least have to have some sort of fun)

Re:This could save lives

[KillerBob]

It's very hard to patent DNA sequences. It's a very difficult case to argue. Sure, you could point out many exceptions, but on the whole, it's a difficult thing to do.


Just for your own info-
It's not legal to patent a DNA or RNA sequence in Canada. That information is considered "public domain". At best, you can patent the method you use to derive the DNA sequence, or to implant it if you're talking about genetic engineering/cloning.

Remember the stories a few months ago about Canada refusing to honour the patents on lab mice that had been engineered in Boston? The logic was that you can patent the method used to engineer the mice, but the mice that were being resold in Canada weren't violating the copyright, because they were the results of breeding, not cloning.

Re:What about the other virus?

[gene_tailor]

It is impressive that this lab quickly cranked out the complete sequence of this coronavirus, and it's alot more informative than the story that made headlines a few days ago here [slashdot.org]. But, spotted dolphin rightly points out that this is only the coronavirus. As far as I'm aware no on has fulfilled Koch's postulates [wsu.edu] to prove THIS virus is the causative agent of "SARS". It's possible this sequence will be very useful, but it's too early to tell.