Expert Tutors:
Peter Dürre - Ulm, Germany
Mohammed Sebaihia - Sanger, UK
Gerhard Gottschalk - Göttingen, Germany
Burkhard Morgenstern - Göttingen, Germany
Heiko Liesegang - Göttingen, Germany
Axel Strittmatter - Göttingen, Germany
Armin Ehrenreich - Göttingen, Germany
Wolfgang Liebl - Göttingen, Germany

Introduction:
The field of prokaryotic genome analysis is rapidly progressing, with about 400 complete genome sequences available and more than 600 currently in progress. Among these are at present 16 Clostridium genomes from ten different clostridial species. 50% of the different species’ genomes (about a third of the total number of clostridial genomes) have been or are presently being completed in European countries (the UK and Germany). The Göttingen Genomics Laboratory (G2L) has performed the genome sequence analysis of the causative agent of tetanus disease, Clostridium tetani, and is currently involved in the sequencing of the genomes of Clostridium ljungdahlii and a further Clostridium. Comparative analysis of clostridial genome sequences, combined with expert knowledge on clostridial metabolism and pathogenicity can yield deep insights into the genetic and molecular basis for the known metabolic, biotechnologically relevant or pathogenicity-related traits of these interesting anaerobes.

Aim:
The overall aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of genome sequencing strategies in general, to review the current state of genome sequence analysis of Clostridium species, and to give practical experience of in silico genome analysis with software packages used to interrogate and annotate genome sequences.

Schedule:
In Silico Genome Analysis – Transcriptomics – Proteomics – Metabolomics – Web-based Tools – Use of Proprietary Software (incl. ARTEMIS)

DAY 1: Wednesday 24 January 2007

• Arrival in Göttingen

DAY 2: Thursday 25 January 2007

Morning:

• Genome sequencing strategies
• Comparative genomics of clostridia
• Lessons from the C. tetani genome
• Tour through the G2L genome sequencing facility
  
  Afternoon/Evening:
  
• Genomes of C. difficile, C. botulinum
• Bioinformatics introduction and exercises
• Exercises using the ERGO software package
• Exercises using the ARTEMIS software package

DAY 3: Thursday 26 January 2007

Morning:

• The C. ljungdahlii genome project
• From genome sequences to microarrays
• Exercises using the GenePix software package
  
  Afternoon:
  
• Departure

Travel expenses will be reimbursed on production of original receipts*.
*- the average travel expenses are assumed to be 282 EURO