The genome of a remarkable reptile
The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) is the last living member of the reptilian order Rhynchocephalia, which once roamed across the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. Earlier this month, the first genetic sequence of this iconic New Zealand animal revealed its crucial link to the now-extinct stem reptiles from which dinosaurs, modern reptiles, birds and mammals evolved. It also illuminated the tuatara’s unique biology, including its unusual longevity and combination of bird- and reptile-like features. The study set a new standard for co-production: the work is a collaboration between genomicists and Ngātiwai, the Maori iwi (people) who have guardianship over the tuatara populations that were used. Geneticist Rebecca Johnson explores the findings in a Nature News & Views article.
Nature News & Views | 7 min readGet up to speed quickly with first author Neil Gemmell’s Twitter thread about the paper.Reference: Nature paper
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario