Earth Biogenome Project Content

Zoonomia Consortium Unveils Mammal Genomes, Creates Evolutionary Timeline

Andy Fell — April 27, 2023 - 11:00am

Mammals are an extraordinarily diverse and successful group of animals, from the tiniest pygmy shrew to the mighty blue whale, and including, of course, ourselves. In a special issue of the journal Science published today (April 27), the Zoonomia Consortium shows how comparing the genomes of 240 modern mammals sheds light on mammalian evolution, with implications for conservation and understanding human and animal health.

Biodiversity Genomics Europe Aims to Reverse Biodiversity Loss

Andy Fell — September 28, 2022 - 10:25am

�ٺ��Ƶ is a collaborating partner in a new European effort to use DNA data to characterise and conserve life on Earth. The Biodiversity Genomics Europe consortium, launched Sept. 26, is affiliated with the Earth BioGenome Project, which has its administrative headquarters at �ٺ��Ƶ. Harris Lewin, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at �ٺ��Ƶ, chairs the EBP Working Group.

Revealing the Genome of the Common Ancestor of All Mammals

Andy Fell — September 27, 2022 - 9:30am

Every modern mammal, from a platypus to a blue whale, is descended from a common ancestor that lived about 180 million years ago. We don’t know a great deal about this animal, but the organization of its genome has now been computationally reconstructed by an international team of researchers. The work is published Sept. 30 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Genomics by Africans for Africans

Andy Fell — March 15, 2022 - 11:49am

The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) has published a position paper in Nature highlighting the goals, priorities, and roadmap of the Africa-led effort to sequence the genomes of 105,000 species of plants, animals, fungi and protists that are endemic to the continent.

Sequencing Puts Carnivore Chromosomes in Context

Andy Fell — February 21, 2022 - 4:28pm

Studies comparing animal genomes generally focus on the DNA sequence itself. A new study by researchers at the University of California, Davis shows how the three-dimensional scaffolding of chromosomes is related across several species of carnivores, offering a new approach of “comparative scaffotyping” that could be used to identify related genes across species and place them in context. The work, published the week of Feb.

How the Earth BioGenome Project Can Untangle Mysteries of Life on Earth

Andy Fell — January 19, 2022 - 12:49pm

The Earth BioGenome Project, launched in 2018, is moving from planning and pilot projects to major production sequencing. The goal of the project is to complete reference genomes for all species of eurkaryotic life on Earth: animals, plants, fungi, algae and other organisms that package their DNA into a nucleus. The new phase of the project is marked with a special feature collection of articles in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Earth BioGenome Project Begins Genome Sequencing in Earnest

Andy Fell — January 18, 2022 - 11:30am

A global effort to map the genomes of all plants, animals, fungi and other eukaryotic life on Earth is entering a new phase as it moves from pilot projects to full-scale production sequencing. This new phase of The Earth BioGenome Project, or EBP, is marked with a collection of papers published this week (Jan. 17) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, describing the project’s goals, achievements to date and next steps.

Genomic Analysis Reveals Many Animal Species May Be Vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Andy Fell — August 21, 2020 - 12:03pm

Humans are not the only species facing a potential threat from SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study from the University of California, Davis.

An international team of scientists used genomic analysis to compare the main cellular receptor for the virus in humans — angiotensin converting enzyme-2, or ACE2 — in 410 different species of vertebrates, including birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

From Sheep and Cattle to Giraffes, Genome Study Reveals Evolution of Ruminants

Andy Fell — June 21, 2019 - 12:44pm

A team of researchers has carried out a detailed study of the genomes of ruminants, giving new insight into their evolution and success.

Ruminants including deer and antelope, as well as sheep, goats, cattle and their wild relatives, have thrived in many ecosystems around the globe. They range in size from the tiny lesser mouse deer of Malaysia to the towering African giraffe.

International Consortium Officially Launches Earth BioGenome Project in London

Andy Fell — November 02, 2018 - 9:13am

Key scientific partners and funders from around the globe gathered in London yesterday (Nov. 1) to officially launch the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), a global effort to sequence the genetic code of all the planet’s eukaryotes — some 1.5 million known species, including all plants, animals, protozoa and fungi.