Abstract
Current methods for determining gene function simply cannot keep pace with the rapid accumulation of new sequence information. In the case of Synechocystis PCC 6803 genome, sequence information is now available for the estimated 3200 genes residing in its 3.6 million nucleotide genome, yet definitive function has been assigned to less than two thousands of these. The classical approach to assigning each gene its function is to analyze the phenotypes of mutants. Chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics is excellent phenotype in the sense that changes in the fluorescence reflect numerous kinds of mutations in the genome. We showed possibility to systematically predict function of genes by the analysis of the fluorescence kinetics of mutants. The data are available on our web-based database and can be analyzed quantitatively. We will discuss what kind of genes is suitable for such analysis and what is not.
