BGI Launches the Earth BioGenome Project: A Grand Initiative Following the Human Genome Project

Fresh off the announcement that its sequencers would be manufactured by the “contract manufacturing giant” Foxconn, BGI has once again drawn global attention with news of launching the Earth BioGenome Project. Following the Human Genome Project, the life sciences field is poised for another major milestone: BGI Genomics, in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s Biodiversity Genomics Initiative, has jointly initiated the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP). This endeavor, more ambitious in scope than the Human Genome Project, aims to decode the genomes of all life on Earth.

At the closing forum of the BioGenomics2017 conference, co-hosted by the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Genome Initiative and China’s BGI Group, a research team comprising genomics experts such as Harris Lewin from the University of California, Davis, and biologists including Zhang Guojie from BGI, jointly proposed launching a new global collaborative initiative akin to the Human Genome Project (HGP): the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), aimed at sequencing all eukaryotic life on Earth. This historic endeavor has drawn significant attention from scientists worldwide.

The EBP project team comprises scientists from multiple countries. As one of the initiating organizations, BGI is represented by Academician Yang Huanming, Chairman of BGI, and Zhang Guojie from BGI. Committed to biodiversity research, BGI has decoded the genomes of numerous Earth species through genomic technologies and launched international collaborations to advance scientific inquiry. Other members of the project team have also engaged in extensive collaboration with BGI.

According to Science magazine, the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) was first proposed approximately two years ago and will focus on sequencing eukaryotic organisms, including all plants, animals, and single-celled organisms. The Human Genome Project took 13 years and cost approximately $3 billion to complete the sequencing of the human genome. Benefiting from advances in sequencing technology and declining costs, the EBP is initially estimated to require an investment of about $4 billion to complete the entire project; however, it has not yet secured funding. Scientists involved in the project stated that if such financial support were obtained, the initiative could be completed within 10 years.

The existing EBP framework is implemented in approximately three steps: First, it focuses on completing the genomes of approximately 9,330 representative species at the eukaryotic family level, thereby generating reference genomes that are comparable to or superior to the human reference genome. Next, draft genomes are produced for one species from each of the 140,000–200,000 eukaryotic genera. Finally, low-coverage sequencing is performed on the genomes of the remaining 1.5 million known eukaryotic species. Comparative analyses or further sequencing across these genomes of varying resolution can help yield additional insights.

The EBP has gotten off to a strong start, with several sequencing projects already underway, including the Genome 10K Project, which aims to sequence the genomes of 10,000 vertebrate species; the i5K Project, dedicated to decoding the genomes of 5,000 arthropod species; and the B10K Project, focused on sequencing the genomes of more than 10,000 avian species. “Our goal is to make the EBP the ‘fighter jet among fighter jets,’” said Levin, one of the project’s initiators.

Members of the EBP working group stated that the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) is of profound significance. As the first truly global, large-scale genome sequencing initiative, it engages thousands of scientists and millions of citizens worldwide. The project will generate ultra-large datasets exceeding 1 exabyte (EB)—equivalent to 100 million high-definition movies, requiring 23,000 years of continuous playback. This data deluge will drive the development of novel computational algorithms, analytical methods, and models, revolutionizing our understanding of biology. It holds great promise for significantly enhancing species conservation efforts and creating new genetic resources for agriculture, medicine, and ecosystem services.

Meanwhile, they also indicated that the EBP project still faces significant challenges: first, due to biodiversity issues, the project can only take final shape with the participation of more developing countries and through enhanced international cooperation; second, there is a need to establish high-quality standards for sequencing and preserving organism samples. This may incur substantial costs, as existing museum specimens of flora and fauna often fail to meet requirements, potentially necessitating extensive field collection.

However, driven by technological advancements and declining costs, researchers are highly confident in completing the project. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, the cost of whole-genome sequencing for individuals has continued to drop, falling from an initial $3 billion to the current $800, or even lower. As the world’s largest genomics research and development center, BGI launched several self-developed sequencing systems in 2015–2016. It now possesses the capacity for mass production of sequencers and will leverage this advantage to support the implementation of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP).

The proposal of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) helps integrate genomic research on Earth's organisms worldwide, forming a more valuable scientific research system. This facilitates orderly and efficient species research, enhances public understanding of the mysteries of life evolution on Earth, and promotes species conservation efforts.