Sequencing and Analysis of the Hydra Genome
Chapman, Kirkness et al., Nature
An international research collaboration reports their sequencing and analysis of the Hydra magnipapillata genome, and compare it to the genomes of several other organisms. "The Hydra genome has been shaped by bursts of transposable element expansion, horizontal gene transfer, trans-splicing, and simplification of gene structure and gene content that parallel simplification of the Hydra life cycle," the authors write. They team suggests that comparisons of the Hydra genome to the reported sequences of other animals have helped them to elucidate the evolution of several of the organism's characteristics.
Genetic Testing! The Solution to All Your Parenting Woes!
November 20, 2009
PZ Myers got sent a link to My Gene Profile — the site's tagline is "Our Technology Spawned from Human Genome Project led by US Scientists. The Industry is Featured by CNN, CBS News." The video there says that their service can discover children's "inborn talents" and, from identifying that, customers' children will be happier and more confident and "parenting problems will disappear." Or as Myers puts it: "What you'll find there is a long video where the lowlife in a suit talks about how your children have in-built genetic biases."
Daniel MacArthur also caught wind of the site. He calls it "the most aggressively bad attempt at a genetic testing product I have ever encountered, coupled with a truly horrific attitude to parenting." He and Myers remind everyone that this is a scam.
