Ocean bug has 'smallest genome'

BBC ^ | 8/19/05 | Roland Pease

[Rokurota]

Ha!Ha!

My genome is bigger than yours!

[martin_fierro]

Pelagibacter feeds off dead organic matter that is dissolved in ocean water - lead researcher Stephen Giovannoni of Oregon State University likens it to a very thin chicken soup.

"Waiter, there's something dead in my soup. May I have some more?"

[BipolarBob]

I've been trying to lose a little weight and have blamed it on my genes. I think I have too many genes to fit into my jeans. I hope this research pays off and I can shed a few genes.

[Paleo Conservative]

[silverleaf]

But Pelagibacter on the other hand, accounting for a quarter of all organisms in the ocean, is a shining example of Darwin's principle, the survival of the fittest.

Well, I was enjoying the article until the last sentence. Darwin must be sitting at the Right Hand of God as reward for all that hard work of explaining the design.

[Red Badger]

It ain't easy bein' gene.......

[Moral Hazard]

" Well, I was enjoying the article until the last sentence. "

It's a shame that biologists don't bow to religious orthodoxy apparently.

[LibWhacker]

ocean water - likens it to a very thin chicken soup

OTOH, now we know we'll never starve because there are five enormous bowls of free chicken soup on the planet! ;-)

[starfish923]

There are no duplicate gene copies, no viral genes, and no junk DNA.

No duplicates = no redundancy, that is, no back up system.
I know many humans like this.

[PatrickHenry]

EvolutionPing

A pro-evolution science list with over 300 names. See the list's explanation at my freeper homepage. Then FReepmail to be added or dropped.

[Right Wing Professor]

Here's the genome map if anyone wants to browse. Click anywhere to zoom in; the colored boxes are genes; several contiguous boxes of the same color denote a single RNA transcript; the arrows are the direction of transcription; click on the box to find out what we think the gene codes for.

[Redbob]

If you're overweight, PLEASE don't take off your genes in public!

[ndt]

"My genome is bigger than yours!"

It's not the size of the genome but how you transcribe it.

[Right Wing Professor]

Correction; the colors code for the metabolic pathway the gene is involved in.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Aracelis]

Thanks, RWP! Very interesting information!

[PatrickHenry]

Here's the genome map if anyone wants to browse.

It's a code. A code from the Intelligent Designer!! It says: "Twin towers, 9/11 ... Bush did it for the oil."

[LibWhacker]

Very interesting, thanks!

[Sinner6]

"It's not the size of the genome but how you transcribe it."

You should try reverse transcription. WOW!