21.   Finding strains that are completely or partly toothless helps identify genes that are vital for tooth development.

22.   For even after all those genes have been identified, each one still needs to be translated to determine its meaning.

23.   Genome Therapeutics, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, works to identify genes and determine their function in disease.

24.   Genetic analysis patterns, like the one held by Leppert, help scientists identify genes.

25.   Genetic testing, a relatively new field, is used to identify defective genes linked to specific diseases.

26.   He predicted that the gene would be identified within two years, when researchers could begin analyzing its function.

27.   He was working on that project and had identified genes about which he knew little.

28.   However, if the specific gene in this form of the disease is identified, doctor may be able to tailor treatment to the specific gene alteration involved.

29.   His laboratory helped develop drugs that revolutionized the treatment of HIV and identified two genes linked to breast cancer.

30.   In related news, scientists at Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. identified another gene, called the mouse tub gene, that is thought to contribute to obesity.