Genome comparisons highlight similarity and diversity within the eukaryotic kingdoms

In 2000, the number of completely sequenced eukaryotic genomes increased to four. The addition of Drosophila and Arabidopsis into this cohort permits additional insights into the processes that have shaped evolution. Analysis and comparisons of both completed genomes and partially sequenced genomes have already shed light on mechanisms such as gene duplication and gene loss that have long been hypothesized to be major forces in speciation. Indeed, duplicate gene pairs in Saccharomyces, Arabidopsis, Caenorhabditis and Drosophila are high: 30%, 60%, 48% and 40%, respectively. Evidence of horizontal gene-transfer, thought to be a major evolutionary force in bacteria, has been found in Arabidopsis. The release of the 'first draft' of the human genome sequence in 2000 heralds a new stage of biological study. Understanding the as-yet-unannotated human genome will be largely based on conclusions, techniques and tools developed during the analysis and comparison of the genome of these four model organisms.