Adding diversity to the human reference genome; SNIPR’s phage and more

The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium revealed in Nature a draft human pangenome of genetic sequences from 47 people of diverse origins; with 24 from Africa, 16 from the Americas, six from Asia and one from Europe. The consortium’s goal is to have 350 genomes by mid-2024. A more diverse human reference map should “help ensure that the eventual applications of genomic research and precision medicine are effective for all populations,” the consortium wrote. 

SNIPR Biome ApS screened 162 phages to identify ones that target a broad spectrum of E. coli strains, have complementary binding to bacterial surface receptors, and are capable of carrying inserted cargo. The authors of the Nature Biotechnology paper engineered a combination of the four most complementary bacteriophages with CRISPR-Cas machinery, creating SNIPR001, which reduced E. coli load in the mouse gut more strongly than its separate components. SNIPR001 is in a Phase I study to prevent E. coli bloodstream infections in hematological cancer patients...