Sir

I would like to correct the erroneous impression given by the News article “US energy agency pulls plug on role in genome project” (Nature 404, 4; 2000 ). The Department of Energy (DoE) is not pulling the plug on its role in this important project. As part of the international human genome project, DoE is responsible for determining the DNA sequence of human chromosomes 5, 16 and 19.

DoE's commitment to completing this project has not changed: we will deliver, as promised, a working draft sequence of these three chromosomes in 2000 and their complete, high-quality sequence by 2003. We will continue to coordinate our human DNA sequencing efforts with our partners: the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health and the Wellcome Trust in the UK.

Obtaining a complete, high-quality sequence of human DNA is only one of the goals of the Human Genome Project. The DoE biological and environmental research advisory committee (BERAC) has been asked to identify the next most important contributions it can make in other goals and is already investing in the development of the tools needed to exploit fully the value of knowing the complete DNA sequence of the human and other organisms.

DoE will continue its sequencing efforts in model organisms, including the mouse and various microbes, whose DNA sequence information contributes to DoE missions in bioremediation and carbon sequestration.