Publications

Genome biology. 2001-01-01; 2.8: COMMENT2002.

The complexity of simplicity

Peterson SN, Fraser CM

PMID: 11182883

Abstract

What is the minimum number of genes or functions necessary to support cellular life? The concept of a 'minimal genome' has become popular, but is it a useful concept, and if so, what might a minimal genome encode? We argue that the concept may be useful, even though the goal of defining a general minimal genome may never be attained.

Metrics