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.
Score One for Open Access
October 07, 2008
Publishing company Springer has acquired BioMed Central, the largest open access publisher with more than 180 peer-reviewed journals. Springer's Derk Haank said in a statement, "This acquisition reinforces the fact that we see open access publishing as a sustainable part of STM publishing, and not an ideological crusade." Over at Open Access News, Peter Suber's already parsing the news, starting with his reasoning that Springer will maintain the open access status of all the BMC journals. He adds that this deal should not be seen "as a sign of BMC's failing health. On the contrary. ... The purchase is a sign of Springer's confidence that BMC will continue its long, steady climb from the red to the black."
