December 10, 2004

INTERNATIONAL CHICKEN GENOME SEQUENCING CONSORTIUM COMPLETES TASK

Their work is done:

The chicken has joined the growing group of animals whose genome has been sequenced. The findings, published today in the journal Nature, reveal that, like us, the bird has between 20,000 and 23,000 genes. But it has only 1 billion DNA base pairs to our 2.9 billion pairs. "The chicken has also been used extensively as a model by developmental biologists for over a century and the availability of a gene catalogue for the species will boost research in this area," says David Burt of the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh and a member of the International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium.

Thanks to Burt, the eternal battle of chicken versus man is suddenly tilted in our favour.

Posted by Tim Blair at December 10, 2004 01:05 AM
Comments

Thanks to Burt, the eternal battle of chicken versus man is suddenly tilted in our favour.

That's good to know, because the chicken is the dumbest bird God ever made. Next to turkeys.

Posted by: Rebecca at December 10, 2004 at 01:23 AM

Good. Now we can find out if the egg came first.

Posted by: John Nowak at December 10, 2004 at 01:35 AM

have they sequenced the plastic turkey yet?

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at December 10, 2004 at 01:38 AM

Your story still works if you replace "chicken" by "socialist" throughout. Though chickens are more useful, obviously.

Posted by: dearieme at December 10, 2004 at 01:38 AM

I'm tangentially involved in the field of bioinformatics, and can tell you that this sort of announcement occurs on a weekly basis. There are a lot of species out there. There are vast databases dedicated to storing the genomes of every species yet sequenced.

It's just that anything having to do with chickens is funny, right? I look forward to Tim's reaction when some team sequences the turkey genome. (It'll happen within a few years, no doubt.)

Posted by: Ash at December 10, 2004 at 02:26 AM

I have to again agree with Gary Larson: "There's something intrinsically funny about cows." So I'm holding out for the Cow Genome Project.

Posted by: Nightfly at December 10, 2004 at 04:33 AM

Nightfly, you don't have to hold out much longer:

http://www.genome.gov/12512874

(This is the first draft, but it should be enough for you to get started...)

Posted by: Mike S. at December 10, 2004 at 05:22 AM

Did find the DNA sequence that makes them run around after their heads are cut off?

Posted by: Bob Hawkins at December 10, 2004 at 05:38 AM

Does knowing the chickens DNA make them any less tasty?

If I remember correctly, or maybe it's just the tryptophan talking, the Orchid has more base pairs than humans, so let's not get all uppity.


Posted by: Joe Bagadonuts at December 10, 2004 at 05:43 AM

Mike S - that is fantastic! They even have a publicity photo of the cow! Let's hear it for "L1 Dominette 01449," a pioneer in bioscience.

Two questions: what is a "3.3-fold coverage"? Shouldn't that have to be a whole number? And will the planned 6-fold coverage find the segment of DNA we share with cows that makes us all yell "moo!" to them as we drive past?

Posted by: Nightfly at December 10, 2004 at 07:52 AM

member of the International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium.

I'm sorry, there's just something about the image of this guy handing his businees cards around to young girls in a bar that just cracks me up......

Posted by: FusterCluck at December 10, 2004 at 08:14 AM

Then why did it cross the road?

Posted by: crash at December 10, 2004 at 09:30 AM

I will be awaiting the first-ever moonbat genome sequencing with bated breath. The results should be fascinating...

Anyone here brave enough to guess how many DNA base pairs exist in the brain of Macroglossius lunarius fortitudus parilis - or "common moonbat"?

I reckon about two dozen, tops.

Cheers,

JPB

Posted by: JPB at December 10, 2004 at 10:25 AM

Crash, it crossed the road to get a pair of genes...

Posted by: slatts at December 10, 2004 at 11:30 AM

Why did the prairie dog cross the road?

It wanted to play Chicken with the cars.

Posted by: Michael Lonie at December 10, 2004 at 12:41 PM

Why did the duck cross the road?

Because it was stapled to the back of the chicken.

Posted by: TimT at December 10, 2004 at 07:30 PM

But mankind wants to know if they've gene-sheared in the special herbs and spices yet???

Posted by: Egg at December 10, 2004 at 07:57 PM

What's the pecking order at the "International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium"?

Posted by: Egg at December 10, 2004 at 08:00 PM

Rooster teeth. We must uncover the secret of rooster teeth. Everyone WILL have rooster teeth!

Posted by: John Nowak at December 11, 2004 at 01:17 AM

Nightfly,

"Two questions: what is a "3.3-fold coverage"? Shouldn't that have to be a whole number?"

The fold coverage is the number of times they have sequenced a section of DNA. For any given stretch of DNA, yes, this is a whole number. But if you average it over the whole genome, you get, well, an average. ; )

"And will the planned 6-fold coverage find the segment of DNA we share with cows that makes us all yell "moo!" to them as we drive past?"

Well, we probably don't share it, since the cows don't yell 'moo' at us, do they? (Or 'shut up, jackass!')

I'm hoping they find the explanation for the martini-drinking Far Side cows, though...

Posted by: Mike S. at December 11, 2004 at 04:28 AM

So, if frog legs taste like chicken, does that mean they have the same genes?

Posted by: charles austin at December 11, 2004 at 05:55 AM

What? The frogs are chicken? Is that some kinda political statement?

Thanks again, Mike. Is this your field, or are you a highly-informed observer?

Posted by: Nightfly at December 11, 2004 at 07:45 AM

Is the International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium hatching a plot to take over the world?

Posted by: Egg at December 11, 2004 at 08:29 AM

"It's just that anything having to do with chickens is funny, right?"

... maybe 'cause they're bipedal and don't fly (very well) just like us?

Posted by: Egg at December 11, 2004 at 12:13 PM