by Jared Reed  

Journeys of self-discovery aren’t usually this expensive – but a bidder has paid US$68,000 [$93,700] to sequence his genome via online auction house eBay.  

According to Scientific American, the anonymous bidder has picked up a bargain; the usual fee for personal genome sequencing by Massachusetts-based genetics company Krome, is around US$100,000 [$132,000].  

Until recently, gene sequencing cost millions, but now the US company is offering not only full gene sequencing but also an individual analysis by its clinicians and geneticists to advise on whether the person’s genetic profile makes them susceptible to certain diseases.  

The company is the only one so far to offer a commercial full genome sequencing service, while others offer selective sequencing of the genome areas associated with certain traits and susceptibilities.  

Krome says all the proceeds of auction will be donated to a prize for the first genomics team to decode 100 human genomes in 10 days – no mean feat considering the process usually takes Krome around three months.  

But if you haven’t got a spare $100,000, a cheaper service is on offer from Harvard University, which is seeking 100,000 volunteers for a personal genomes project. The catch is that your medical and genetic information become public information.