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Sea Urchin Genome Reveals Striking Similarities to Humans by Stefan Lovgren, National Geographic News:
The sea urchin represents the first sequenced genome from the echinoderms, which are the closest known relatives of the chordates, the group that includes vertebrates, animals with spinal columns. The genome includes analogs to many essential human genes that were previously thought to be exclusive to vertebrates.
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The eyeless sea urchin also has genes associated with taste, smell, hearing, balance—and surprisingly, even vision.
Related: Altered Oceans: the Crisis at Sea - Where Bacteria Get Their Genes - The Brine Lake Beneath the Sea - $10 Million X Prize for DNA Decoding - The World’s Smallest Genome - Ocean Life - Decoding the Sea Urchin Genome (NPR)
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April 1st, 2007 at 8:49 am
[...] “The submersible, which when not at sea is based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, is built to withstand enormous pressure and can dive to depths of 6.5km (four miles).” [...]