Freethought & Rationalism Archive

lpetrich · 10-22-2002, 01:23 AM

Here is <a href="http://gnn.tigr.org/articles/10_02/mouse_rev.shtml" target="_blank">a report</a> on an effort to sequence the genome of the common laboratory mouse.

Which was discovered to share about 99% of its genes with our species, leaving only about 150 out of nearly 30,000 mouse genes without human counterparts. Yes, the number of human genes was revised down a bit.

And the human genome project itself has also been continuing; that sequence is now about 90% finished, and it should be done by next year.

Here is a <a href="http://www2.ebi.ac.uk/genomes/mot/" target="_blank">Genome-Project Monitoring Page</a>. However, it lists only three unfinished genomes: human, mouse, and the common laboratory rat.

And although the human and mouse genomes are almost completely assembled, that operation has barely begun for the rat genome, whose sequence is still mostly in the draft stage.

It will be interesting to see what happens as more vertebrate genomes get sequenced; the zebrafish and pufferfish are partly done, but other planned species like chimp, dog, cow, chicken, and a frog have barely been started.

It will be interesting to see how their genomes compare to the human one; already, we and fish have been found to share something like 75% of our genes.

monkenstick · 10-22-2002, 01:41 AM

I suspect most of the differences between humans and other mammals won't be in the genes that they have, but how those genes are used - the major differences will be in cis-regulatory regions

but then i'm just an undergrad, so I might be wrong

pz · 10-22-2002, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by monkenstick:
<strong>I suspect most of the differences between humans and other mammals won't be in the genes that they have, but how those genes are used - the major differences will be in cis-regulatory regions

but then i'm just an undergrad, so I might be wrong</strong>

Nah, it sounds like you must be a pretty smart undergrad.

Sheep in the big city · 10-23-2002, 10:07 PM

Genetic research on the mighty pufferfish?
As usual I suspect the military is behind this one.
You may laugh (or not) now but remember my words when armies of combat-pufferfish rise from the oceans in their quest for world domination.

lpetrich · 10-24-2002, 05:44 AM

Here's the <a href="http://genome.jgi-psf.org/fugu6/fugu6.home.html" target="_blank">fugu pufferfish genome effort's home page</a>. That fish's genome was selected for sequencing because it has an unusually small amount of "junk DNA" by vertebrate standards. That effort is now largely finished, and it has entered the phase of closing the remaining gaps.

RaptorRed · 10-24-2002, 09:25 AM

FUGU ME!

10-22-2002, 01:23 AM	#1
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Eek! A mouse! And it has versions of most of our genes! Here is <a href="http://gnn.tigr.org/articles/10_02/mouse_rev.shtml" target="_blank">a report</a> on an effort to sequence the genome of the common laboratory mouse. Which was discovered to share about 99% of its genes with our species, leaving only about 150 out of nearly 30,000 mouse genes without human counterparts. Yes, the number of human genes was revised down a bit. And the human genome project itself has also been continuing; that sequence is now about 90% finished, and it should be done by next year. Here is a <a href="http://www2.ebi.ac.uk/genomes/mot/" target="_blank">Genome-Project Monitoring Page</a>. However, it lists only three unfinished genomes: human, mouse, and the common laboratory rat. And although the human and mouse genomes are almost completely assembled, that operation has barely begun for the rat genome, whose sequence is still mostly in the draft stage. It will be interesting to see what happens as more vertebrate genomes get sequenced; the zebrafish and pufferfish are partly done, but other planned species like chimp, dog, cow, chicken, and a frog have barely been started. It will be interesting to see how their genomes compare to the human one; already, we and fish have been found to share something like 75% of our genes.

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10-22-2002, 01:41 AM	#2
monkenstick Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 214	I suspect most of the differences between humans and other mammals won't be in the genes that they have, but how those genes are used - the major differences will be in cis-regulatory regions but then i'm just an undergrad, so I might be wrong

10-23-2002, 10:07 PM	#4
Sheep in the big city Regular Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: CA Posts: 217	Genetic research on the mighty pufferfish? As usual I suspect the military is behind this one. You may laugh (or not) now but remember my words when armies of combat-pufferfish rise from the oceans in their quest for world domination.

10-24-2002, 05:44 AM	#5
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Here's the <a href="http://genome.jgi-psf.org/fugu6/fugu6.home.html" target="_blank">fugu pufferfish genome effort's home page</a>. That fish's genome was selected for sequencing because it has an unusually small amount of "junk DNA" by vertebrate standards. That effort is now largely finished, and it has entered the phase of closing the remaining gaps.

10-24-2002, 09:25 AM	#6
RaptorRed Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 25	FUGU ME!

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