An excellent overview of why and how whole genome sequencing projects are moving to record as many species genomes as possible is now available for free at LabAnimal, a Nature research journal covering in vivo studies. It provides excellent coverage of technical advances and approaches making these efforts possible and one of the cutting edge campaigns, the Vertebrate Genome Project, while still remaining clear and accessible for the average reader. Enjoy!

“Rapid evolution in hardware and software for DNA analysis and falling costs per experiment are making it easier for scientists to prospect the genomes of classic model organisms as well as novel species that intrigue them. Some groups are using this approach to explore biomedical questions in species with characteristics that parallel human traits, as seen with studies of cancer and behavioral disorders in domesticated dogs or vocal communication in songbirds. Others are studying species with unusual features that might nevertheless prove beneficial to human health, such as long-lived but cancer- and virus-resistant bats or the highly regenerative axolotl.”

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