Anyone Have Prickly Relatives?

The point is, we all do, and I’m not talking about the type that gets cranky at family reunions.

These are sea urchins, and they are actually our cousins. Their genome has been sequenced to find that we have around 7000 genes in common with them. These include genes for balance, taste sight, smell and hearing. A lot of scientific research has previously been conducted in organisms such as worms. These are not as closely related to us as these sea urchins are.

The sea urchin genome also include genes which, in humans, cause diseases such as Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s muscular dystrophy and genes which are linked to some human forms of cancer.

Scientists are still researching further to see if the genes found in the Sea Urchin genome, which correlate to our human diseases, will offer insights into the cause, as well as the cure. The Sea Urchin’s immune system is very complex, and far more advanced than ever previously thought. Many of the Sea Urchin’s genes, which code for its immune system, have, until now, only been found in chordates. Research continues into the extent to which the Sea Urchin can defend itself from disease. The hope is that the Sea Urchin’s immune system will provide insights into our own human immune system, and into the way our bodies fight disease. The aim is to find cures for diseases which currently afflict the human population.

For more information go to:
www.sciencemag.org/sciext/seaurchin/#section_poster
Then follow the link underneath ‘Online Extras -> ‘Interactive Poster’ -> and click on ‘Online Version’

Posted By Jess Cove

References:

Authors: Sequencing Consortium, 2006, ‘The Genome of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus’, Science Volume 314, pg 941-952.

Bowers, J., 2006, A prickly subject: The sea urchin genome is sequenced, accessed Saturday, 24^th May, 2008
Available from: www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-11/mdib-aps110806.php

Davidson, E. H., 2006, ‘The Sea Urchin Genome: Where will it lead us?’ Science, Volume 341, Pages 939-940
Also available from: www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/314/5801/939

Cameron, A & Davidson, E., 2006 The Sea Urchin, Interactive Poster, Accessed 24^th May, 2008
Available from: www.sciencemag.org/sciext/seaurchin/#section_poster
Then follow the link underneath ‘Online Extras -> ‘Interactive Poster’ -> and click on ‘Online Version’