GATC succeeds in pilot project
for the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium

Constance (December 2006) – GATC Biotech sequenced the worldwide first BAC clones for the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium (PGSC) on behalf of Wageningen University (Netherlands). Follow-up orders of international partners of the consortium will extend to the year 2007. GATC was selected as important partner for outsourcing the sequencing work due to GATC’s high quality sequencing standards and short delivery times.

The Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium is an international consortium initiated by Wageningen University and Research Centre (The Netherlands) and currently comprises research groups from 16 countries worldwide. The consortium’s primary objective is to elucidate the complete DNA sequence of the potato genome which consists of 12 chromosomes and which is about 840 Mb in size. The project is planned to be finished in 2010 and is budgeted with 50 million Euro.

About GATC:
GATC Biotech (www.gatc-biotech.com), with headquarters in Constance, Germany, is a leading provider of molecular biological services and innovative bioinformatics solutions for industry and academia worldwide. GATC’s portfolio contains services in the areas of genome sequencing, high throughput and custom sequencing, transcriptomics and functional analysis, complemented by a wide range of bioinformatic software, e.g. Lasergene™ (DNA sequence analysis software) by DNASTAR Inc., ERGO™ (Genome Analysis Suite) by Integrated Genomics, as well as Mutation Surveyor™/Mutation Explorer™ (DNA variant analysis software) and GeneMarker™ (Software for AFLP and genotyping) by SoftGenetics. Today, GATC has 45 employees and serves 3000 customers in 40 countries. In 2005 GATC celebrated its 15th anniversary. Most of GATC‘s employees are scientists with long-term experience in biotechnology, molecular biology and chemistry. GATC has subsidiaries in Cambridge (UK) and Marseille (F) as well as offices in Tägerwilen (CH), Edinburgh (UK), Munich and Hamburg. The company is ISO-certified since 1997.

Contact:
Elke Decker

Senior Director Marketing
Jakob-Stadler-Platz 7
D- 78467 Konstanz
Tel: +49-7531-8160-36
Fax:+49-7531-8160-81
e.decker@gatc-biotech.com