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Related Concept Videos

Genomics02:02

Genomics

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Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
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Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes03:21

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While every living organism has a genome of some kind (be it RNA, or DNA), there is considerable variation in the sizes of these blueprints. One major factor that impacts genome size is whether the organism is prokaryotic or eukaryotic. In prokaryotes, the genome contains little to no non-coding sequence, such that genes are tightly clustered in groups or operons sequentially along the chromosome. Conversely, the genes in eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of non-coding sequence.
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Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
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Chromatin Packaging01:32

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Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base pairs of DNA. Each base pair is 0.34 nm long, meaning each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. This long DNA strand is packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10-20 microns in diameter with the help of specialized DNA-binding proteins called histones. Together they form a compact DNA-protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin is further compacted into higher-order structures. The highest level of compaction is achieved during...
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Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base-pairs of DNA. Each base-pair is 0.34 nm long, which means that each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. How is such a long DNA strand packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10 - 20 microns in diameter? 
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An Ultrahigh-throughput Microfluidic Platform for Single-cell Genome Sequencing
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Genomes: Miniaturization Taken to Extremes.

Gonzalo Giribet1

  • 1Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|April 8, 2020
PubMed
Summary

The smallest animal genome ever recorded belongs to a parasitic annelid. This tiny genome resulted from significant gene loss and extreme compaction, making it the second smallest in gene count.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Parasitology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Orthonectids are parasitic annelids with complex life cycles.
  • Understanding their biology requires studying their genetic makeup.
  • Genome size and gene count are key indicators of evolutionary adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To sequence and analyze the genome of a second orthonectid species.
  • To investigate the mechanisms behind genome size reduction in parasitic organisms.
  • To compare its genome with other known animal genomes.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome sequencing of the orthonectid species.
  • Bioinformatic analysis for gene prediction and annotation.
  • Comparative genomics to identify gene loss and compaction events.

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Main Results:

  • The sequenced genome is the smallest animal genome reported to date.
  • It possesses the second-smallest number of genes among all animals.
  • Massive gene loss and extreme sequence compaction were identified as key factors.

Conclusions:

  • This study reveals an extreme case of genome reduction in the animal kingdom.
  • The findings provide insights into the evolutionary pressures driving genome miniaturization in parasites.
  • The minimal genome of this orthonectid offers a unique model for studying fundamental biological processes.