One of the profound discoveries during the past decade is that all mammals share a common set of genes. Thus, for the first time, discoveries from one mammal can be translated directly and interpreted for other mammalian species. As a result, many of the major discoveries that will impact medical, veterinary and animal sciences are likely to come from research in related mammals and translated through computational genomics. Microbes are the most abundant group of organisms on the earth and are key components of the world ecosytems. They are also the basis for many important economic enterprises, including food processing, fermentation, bioengineering and environmental remediation.
Microbes are also the agents of many human and plant diseases.
Researchers can now view the complete genetic blue print for a plant. The next decade will see a flurry of activity deciphering the function of these genes and determining how genes and genetic information from model plants like arabidopsis can be translated to agricultural crop species. Applications of genomic technologies will also help scientists begin to understand how plants are capable of synthesizing such a wide variety of compounds which are important to human and animal health, nutrition and defense responses.