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Articles tagged Genomics
(73 results)
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The fungus-fighting secrets hiding in the sugar pine’s enormous megagenome
Towering sugar pine trees dominate the mountain forests of California and Oregon. They are the tallest pine trees in the world, regularly growing to skyscraper heights of over 100 meters. But these forest behemoths are under attack from a very tiny foe: an invasive fungus. White pine blister rust was accidentally introduced to western North…
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Publish your WGS data in G3 Genome Reports
Do you have whole genome sequence (WGS) data burning a hole in your pocket? Many high-quality WGS datasets languish unpublished and undescribed because they may not always—in isolation—reveal substantial new biological insights. However, the editors of G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics recognize that WGS data on strain variation, comparative analysis of different model organism species, and other rich…
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Sex chromosome turnover in frogs hints at evolutionary patterns
Sex chromosomes have evolved from autosomes hundreds of times across the tree of life. In mammals, sex is controlled by the Y chromosome-linked gene SRY, which triggers the development of male anatomy. Sex determination in most mammals is extremely conserved; essentially all marsupials and placental mammals share the same pair of X and Y chromosomes…
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Speed limits in bacterial factories
In the fast-paced life of a bacterium, the ability to manufacture proteins quickly and efficiently is crucial. In these organisms, mRNAs—the templates for building proteins—have a string of bases near the start called the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence. This motif increases the rate at which translation is initiated. Some results suggest that the presence of SD…
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The Genetic History of Horses
Like any revolutionary technology, domestic horses changed human society. The incredible speed and strength of these animals opened up new opportunities to spread trade, language, and culture. For thousands of years, horses have been helping build human society by pulling wagons and plows and carrying soldiers and travelers on their backs. Horse husbandry changed humanity,…
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Genomic study of high school students from across Denmark reveals remarkable genetic homogeneity
People from Denmark are genetically similar to each other no matter which part of the country they come from, report researchers in the journal GENETICS, a publication of the Genetics Society of America. Eight hundred Danish high school students contributed genetic material to the Where Are You From? project, and the data were used to…
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Genome of fiercely protective Fonni’s Dog reflects human history of Sardinia
A genomic analysis of 28 dog breeds has traced the genetic history of the remarkable Fonni’s Dog, a herd guardian endemic to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The results, published in this month’s issue of GENETICS, reveal that the regional variety has developed into a true breed through unregulated selection for its distinctive behavior, and that…
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Kindred and KhoeSan: African ancestry is tied to ecogeography
Geography and ecology are key factors that have influenced the genetic makeup of human groups in southern Africa, according to new research discussed in the journal GENETICS, a publication of the Genetics Society of America. By investigating the ancestries of twenty-two KhoeSan groups, including new samples from the Nama and the ≠Khomani, researchers conclude that…
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#TAGC16 Shorts: The fate of duplicates
Guest post by Caroline Berger. #TAGC16 Shorts are brief summaries of presentations at The Allied Genetics Conference, a combined meeting of seven genetics research communities held July 13-17, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. You might remember the flickering cilia of little Paramecia from the classroom, where these ciliate species can be easily observed with a binocular…
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New Faculty Profile: Michael Wangler
New Faculty Profiles showcase GSA members who are establishing their first independent labs. If you’d like to be considered for a profile, please complete this form on the GSA website. Michael Wangler Assistant Professor (starting July 2016) Department of Molecular and Human Genetics Baylor College of Medicine Lab website Research program: The overall long-term goal…
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Fecal alchemy: Turning poop into genomics gold
When it comes to genotyping technology, poop genetics is stuck in the 1990s. While most geneticists are now awash in genome-scale data from thousands of individuals, those who depend on fecal and other non-invasively collected samples still rely on old-school, boutique panels of a dozen or so genetic markers. But feces — along with fur,…