A single all-embracing effort to characterize the human proteome is an unlikely prospect (D. Steinberg, "Is a Human Proteome Project Next?" The Scientist, 15[7]:1, April 2, 2001). Nevertheless, smaller-scale--though still massive--proteomics projects keep springing up. On April 4, Myriad Genetics Inc. (MGI), Hitachi Ltd., and Oracle Corp. announced a $185 million, three-year collaboration to identify all protein-protein interactions and biochemical pathways in the human body. Myriad Proteomics Inc., a Salt Lake City company created to undertake the project, will employ about 225 scientists, according to Sudhir Sahasrabudhe, MGI's executive vice president of research. He says that recombinant tagged proteins will be immunoaffinity purified. To map their interactions, researchers will apply ProNet, MGI's high-throughput yeast two-hybrid system. (Paul L. Bartel, a yeast two-hybrid pioneer, is an MGI vice president.) ProSpec, MGI's mass spectrometric technology, will serve to identify protein complexes. Hitachi and Oracle will contribute electronics...
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