The African coelacanth has brought an international team of scientists together to crack its genomic code. The modern skeleton of this fish is indistinguishable from fosils that are 300 million years old. Professor Byrappa Venkatesh, Research Director of the Institute of Molecular
and Cell Biology, whose group was involved in the project, said, "The
coelacanth with its distinctive fleshy fins represents an intermediary
phase in the evolution of land animals from aquatic fishes. By comparing
the genomes of coelacanth, human and other vertebrates, our group has
been able to discover gene regulatory elements that played a key role in
the development of our limbs and fingers as well as our ability to
detect air-borne odorants." By sequencing the genome of these fish and comparing it to the genes of
other vertebrates, the researchers have uncovered information about the
genetic changes that helped aquatic animals transition from water to
land.Themes:
Science is collaborative.
Science is based on evidence.
Role of motivation and curiosity.
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