Tonga는 지난번에는 국가최상위 domain인 “.to”를 팔았었는데, (http://www.v3.com/ 에 가보시면 이걸 산 회사가 뭐하는지 보실 수 있습니다.) 이번에는 국민전체의 gene pool정보를 Australian biotechnology firm(Autogen)에 제공하기로 했다는군요.—–Guardian; Thursday November 23, 2000Faraway Tonga cashes in on its gene pool secrets Patrick Barkham in SydneyGuardianThe isolated Pacific archipelago of Tonga is to add DNA to its more usual trade in fish, coconuts and coffee, after striking a deal to help an Australian biotechnology firm find the genetic cause of common diseases. Autogen Ltd hopes to isolate rogue genes linked to inherited illnesses by assembling a DNA database of people in the tropical kingdom, located 1,245 miles north-east of New Zealand. Tonga’s isolation and the ethnic homogeneity of its Polynesian population removes “genetic distractions” for scientists, the chairman of Autogen, Joseph Gutnick, said yesterday. “The less mixture of interracial marriage, the more likely you are able to determine a particular gene that may be responsible for a particular disease, whether it’s breast cancer or whether it’s kidney disease,” Mr Gutnick said. “There may be a gene that’s common to a particular family and you need to isolate it. That’s easier if the population has been isolated.” Tonga, which has 170 islands, was colonised by Polynesian people almost 3,500 years ago. Dubbed the “friendly islands” by Captain Cook in the 18th century, Tonga was a British protectorate between 1900 and 1970. But its population remained untouched by immigration and just 300 of its 108,000 people today are of European origin. The islands’ unique family structure will also aid the five-year research programme. Traditionally the inhabitants of small Tongan villages have been blood relations, living in extended family groups, although recent urbanisation has complicated the gene pool. Similar experiments are being conducted among isolated people who share similar DNA maps in southern Italy and on Pingelap island and Norfolk island in the Pacific, as biotechnology companies race to find lucrative cures for common diseases. A research lab will be established by Autogen at a hospital in Nuku’Alofa, the capital of Tonga, to collect DNA samples and map the genetic mix of the population and its diseases. The Melbourne-based company specialises in identifying genes found in people with diabetes and obesity. Tonga will receive royalties from any successful commercial ventures, such as new drug treatments, that emerge from the study. The country will also own all DNA samples collected by Autogen’s scientists. Millions could be spent in Tonga as the research develops, a welcome boost to an economy based around fishing and tourism, which is also dependent on foreign aid to offset its trade deficit. But selling its DNA secrets to scientists is not the only way Tonga’s constitutional monarchy is obtaining hard currency in the modern global economy. The kingdom is also offering “.to” web addresses for £35 a year, ploughing the proceeds into funding further education programmes for its population. 첨부 파일과거 URLhttp://www.ipleft.or.kr/bbs/view.php?board=ipleft_5&id=101