Daily non-political popular news in brief.

Birds' ancestors had small genomes too

03-31-2007 · Science News Online

Among mammals, reptiles, and related animals, today's birds have the smallest genomes, and the dinosaurs that gave rise to birds had small genomes as well.

Keywords: birds, ancestors, genomes, bird, ancestor, genome

« Previous | Next »

Similar news on "Birds' ancestors had small genomes too":

Sea anemone genome provides new view of our multi-celled ancestors
07-05-2007 · EurekAlert!
The genome of the starlet sea anemone is nearly as complex as the human genome, according to UC Berkeley and Joint Genome Institute researchers who have completed the first analysis of the animal's genes. Because of this similarity, it is providing major insights into the common ancestor of eumetazoans, a group that includes not only humans and sea anemones, but nearly all multi-celled animals.
Similar news · Read more »
Bird sex is something else
03-21-2007 · EurekAlert!
We've all heard about the birds and the bees. But apparently when it comes to birds, they have an unusual take on his and hers -- and the difference is genetic. Research published today in the Journal of Biology shows that birds are extraordinary, because some bird genomes can live with an apparent overdose of sex-related genes.
Similar news · Read more »
Genome of marine organism tells of humans' unicellular ancestors
02-14-2008 · EurekAlert!
A ubiquitous but little-known marine organism, the choanoflagellate, is the last one-celled ancestor of humans and provides insight into how cells learned to assemble into multicelled organisms. The genome of the choanoflagellate Monisiga brevicollis has now been sequenced and, according to UC Berkeley's Nicole King, offers clues to the origin of the glue that holds many-celled animals together and how cells learned to communicate.
Similar news · Read more »
Despite their heft, many dinosaurs had surprisingly tiny genomes
03-07-2007 · EurekAlert!
They might be giants, but many dinosaurs apparently had genomes no larger than that of a modern hummingbird. So say scientists who've linked bone cell and genome size among living species and then used that new understanding to gauge the genome sizes of 31 species of extinct dinosaurs and birds, whose bone cells can be measured from the fossil record.
Similar news · Read more »
Land conversion and climate threaten land birds
06-04-2007 · EurekAlert!
Evaluating changes in range size of land bird species using Millenium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios reveals that land conversion, as well as climate change, will lead to the decline of many species, particularly those in the tropics.
Similar news · Read more »
Secrets revealed in sequencing of honey bee genome
10-25-2006 · EurekAlert!
What do fruit flies, mosquitoes, silk moths and honey bees have in common? First, they are all insects. Second, they have all had their genomes sequenced, a feat that will make it much easier to discern both similarities and differences.
Similar news · Read more »
2-step process filters evolution of genes of human and chimpanzee
03-05-2007 · EurekAlert!
About 5,000 tiny differences play a key role in the evolutionary divergence between the human and chimpanzee genomes. Before a new mutation can take its place in the human genome it has to pass through a rigorous two-step screening process. In step one, the more radical randomly introduced changes are often harmful and quickly removed. In step two, the more radical the mutation, the faster it is likely to spread.
Similar news · Read more »
Hair untangles woolly mammoth puzzle
09-27-2007 · EurekAlert!
New research reveals that hair shafts provide an ideal source of ancient DNA -- a better source than bones and muscle for studying the genome sequences of extinct animals. The researchers' efficient methods yielded entire mitochondrial genomes from 10 woolly mammoths -- more such genomes of extinct animals than previously had been published. The research opens the door to obtaining mitochondrial genome sequences from other extinct species and to understanding how species of large mammals can go extinct.
Similar news · Read more »
Scientists compare 12 fruit fly genomes
11-07-2007 · EurekAlert!
An international research consortium of scientists, supported by the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced publications comparing the genome sequences of 12 closely related fruit fly species, 10 of which were sequenced for the first time. The analyses identify thousands of novel genes and other functional elements in the insects' genomes, and describe how evolution has shaped the genomes of these important models for genetic research.
Similar news · Read more »
Scientists find mutations that let bird flu adapt to humans
11-15-2006 · EurekAlert!
By comparing influenza viruses found in birds with those of the avian virus that have also infected human hosts, researchers have identified key genetic changes required for pandemic strains of bird flu.
Similar news · Read more »