FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * TOBIN JAMES R   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol APPLERA CORP [ABI/CRA] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) APPLERA CORPORATION, 301 MERRITT 7 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 10/21/2004 (Street) NORWALK, CT 06851-1070 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock Units 10/21/2004   A   1,300 A $ 0 13,711.43 (1) D   Celera Genomics Group Common Stock Units 10/21/2004   A   500 A $ 0 4,054.79 D   Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock               0 D   Celera Genomics Group Common Stock               0 D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Applied Biosystems Group Director Stock Option-Right to Buy

$ 18.905

10/21/2004

A

9,200

(2)

10/21/2014

Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock

9,200

$ 18.905

9,200

D

Celera Genomics Group Director Stock Option-Right to Buy

$ 12.005

10/21/2004

A

3,400

(2)

10/21/2014

Celera Genomics Group Common Stock

3,400

$ 12.005

3,400

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
TOBIN JAMES R APPLERA CORPORATION 301 MERRITT 7 NORWALK, CT 06851-1070	X

Signatures

Thomas P. Livingston, Attorney-in-Fact for James R. Tobin		10/25/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Includes 27.35 Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock Units acquired in October 2004 pursuant to the dividend reinvestment feature of the Company's director stock purchase and stock incentive plans.
(2)	The options become exercisable in four equal annual installments commencing October 21, 2005.

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