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This is a question asked out of ignorant curiousity: what, if any, are the intellectual property implications of releasing genomic information into the public domain? Does doing so preclude the patenting yet un-patented genetic sequences published in that genome?

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A number of human genomes are public domain via the human genome project and 1000 genomes project, etc. The part that needs to be resolved is the bit about genes and disease implications. A recent case overturned Myriad's patents on BRCA1 and BRCA2 [1]. On the other hand, I believe it's still OK to patent signatures corresponding to a diagnostic etc (not 100% sure).

1. http://www.genomicslawreport.com/index.php/2010/03/30/pigs-f...

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