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.
The Round of 100
April 27, 2009
Daniel MacArthur at Genetic Future blogs about the news that George Church's Personal Genome Project "has called for the next wave of volunteers." This round will include 100 people who will get their genome sequenced (at no cost to them). "The benefits to volunteers are straightforward: you get access to your own genome sequence before most human beings on the planet, and you get the warm fuzzy glow that comes with benefiting humanity," MacArthur writes.
He adds that volunteering is not for the faint of heart: "Volunteering to participate is not simply a matter of filling in a few forms: the PGP takes the notion of 'informed consent' to a new level, requiring that you prove just how informed you are by taking an entrance test that assesses your 'comprehension of concepts relevant to providing informed consent to participate in the PGP' including 'concepts such as potential risks of participating, project protocols, and basic genetics.'"
