ISGO: The International Structural Genomics Organization

1. ISGO: The International Structural Genomics Organization • Goals of ISGO • Develop standards and policies for structural genomics • Sponsor international meetings and workshops • Promote cooperation in structural genomics, including between public and private efforts • Promote deposition of coordinates, raw data, and other information

2. ISGO 2000-2001Led by John Moult, Chris Sander, John Norvell, Barbara Skene • Workshops on international cooperation • Hinxton (April, 2000) and Airlie House (April, 2001) • Task Forces • Task Force on Deposition, Archiving, and Curation of the Primary  Information (Helen Berman and Geoff Barton, chairs) • Task Force on Mechanisms for Publication and Recording of Methods  and Results (Guy Dodson, chair) • Task force on Intellectual Property (John Norvell, Barbara Skene, chairs) • Task Force on Numerical Criteria in Structural Genomics (Randy Read, chair) • Task Force on Target Tracking (Steve Bryant, chair) • Workshops on in vitro expression systems (Shigeyuki Yokoyama)

3. ISGO 2000-2001Agreed Principles and Procedures • Coordination of International Programs in Structural Genomics • “The goal is to encourage harmonious cooperation among a broad range of public and private sector institutions in the international effort to characterize macromolecular structures in living organisms on a pan-genomic scale” • Key Principles • Free exchange of data and materials • Deposition of coordinates and other mandatory data in the PDB immediately on completion of structure determination • Public release in a short time (always less than 6 months) • Open exchange of target information

4. ISGO 2000-2001Additional recommendations • Short peer-reviewed papers to ensure quality (Proteins, Structure Function and Genetics; Acta Cryst. D in place now) • Quality is not to be sacrificed in the interests of quantity • Structure depositions will be accompanied by experimental data • Access to material such as clones, cell lines, and protein samples encouraged • Exchange of protocols and materials encouraged (Clearinghouse recommended) • Promote the free access and exchange of scientific information among scientists engaged in basic research. • Harmonize patent law. • Strengthen the utility requirement for patentability. (Community is concerned about the implications of the granting of patents based solely on the submission of three-dimensional structural co-ordinates, without any identified non-trivial utility.)

5. ISGO Today • Open membership • news@isgo.org mailing list • Web site: • http://www.isgo.org • An executive committee • Continuing members: Shigeyuki Yokoyama, Udo Heinemann, Tom Terwilliger • New members: Seiki Kuramitsu, Ian Wilson, David Stuart • An Advisory Board • Gaetano Montelione , Guy Dodson, Chris Sander, Dino Moras, Joel Sussman, Wayne Hendrickson, John Norvell, Barbara Skene, Norihisa Hara • Active Task forces • Task Force on Deposition, Archiving, and Curation of the Primary  Information (Helen Berman, chair) • Task Force on Mechanisms for Publication and Recording of Methods  and Results (Guy Dodson, chair) • Task force on Intellectual Property (John Norvell, Barbara Skene, chairs)

6. ISGO and the Structural Genomics Community • Sponsored International Conference on Structural Genomics in Berlin, Oct 10-13, 2002 (Udo Heinemann, organizer) • Sponsored workshops for collaborative efforts and sharing of technology • in vitro expression workshops (2001-2002, Shigeyuki Yokoyama) • Collaboration in high-throughput crystallography (March 2002, Tom Terwilliger) • Automation of X-ray Structure Determination of Macromolecules (Oct, 2002, Uwe Mueller) • Run pre-conference ISGO session on structural genomics policies (Oct, 2002) • Sponsoring next International Conference on Structural Genomics (USA, 2004/2005   (Gaetano Montelione & Tom Terwilliger have volunteered to organize)

7. Suggested ISGO statement on patentability of protein structures “ISGO strongly supports the position that a high level of utility should be required for patenting of protein structures” NOTE: ISGO continues to expect that most structures will be immediately deposited and released, as agreed at Airlie House.

8. Continued work of Task Forces • Task Force on Deposition, Archiving, and Curation of the Primary Information. (Helen Berman, chair) • Development of data dictionary for deposition of all relevant experimental data (cloning, protein production, crystallography, NMR) • Development of target tracking web site and structural genomics pipeline for deposition to PDB • Task Force on Mechanisms for Publication and Recording of Methods and Results (Guy Dodson, chair) • Negotiate with journals to create a smooth pathway for publishing short structure reports • (Identify what should be in short articles) • Task force on Intellectual Property (John Norvell and Barbara Skene) • Discussion and drafting of proposed policies on patenting and structural genomics