A complete genome. The diagram depicts the genome of Haemophilus influenzae, the first complete genome of a free-living organism to be sequenced. The genome encodes more than 1700 proteins and 70 RNA molecules. The likely function of approximately one-half of the proteins was determined by comparisons with sequences of proteins already characterized in other species.

[Data from R. D. Fleischmann et al., Science 269:496–512, 1995; scan courtesy of The Institute for Genomic Research.]