A Valentine's Day treat
Species name: Cacao tree, __Theobroma cacao__ (aka chocolate)
Genome size: 430 million bases
Interesting fact: The variety sequenced, Criollo, was among the first chocolate varieties to be domesticated by the Mayans 3,000 years ago, and is one of few breeds that produces some of the most expensive dark chocolate on the market today.
X. Argout, et al., "The genome of Theobroma cacao," Nature Genetics, 43:101-8, 2011.
Species name: Woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca
Genome size: 240 million bases
Interesting fact: The woodland strawberry has the smallest plant genome sequenced thus far except for Arabidopsis.
V. Shulaev, et al., "The genome of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)," Nature Genetics, 43: 109-16, 2011.
A slew of ants
Species name: Leaf cutter ant, Atta cephalotes
Genome size: 290 million bases
Interesting fact: The researchers found...
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Genome size: 430 million bases
Interesting fact: The variety sequenced, Criollo, was among the first chocolate varieties to be domesticated by the Mayans 3,000 years ago, and is one of few breeds that produces some of the most expensive dark chocolate on the market today.
X. Argout, et al., "The genome of Theobroma cacao," Nature Genetics, 43:101-8, 2011.
Species name: Woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca
Genome size: 240 million bases
Interesting fact: The woodland strawberry has the smallest plant genome sequenced thus far except for Arabidopsis.
V. Shulaev, et al., "The genome of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)," Nature Genetics, 43: 109-16, 2011.
A slew of ants
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Genome size: 290 million bases
Interesting fact: The researchers found...
G. Suen, et al., "The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle," PLoS Genetics, 7(2): e1002007, doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002007, 2011.
Solenopsis invicta
Y. Wurm, et al., "The genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta," PNAS, DOI: linkurl:10.1073/pnas.1009690108, 2011.
Pogonomyrmex barbatus
C.R. Smith, et al., "Draft genome of the red harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus," PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1007901108, 2011.
Linepithema humile
C.D. Smith, et al., "Draft genome of the globally widespread and invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile)," PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1008617108, 2011.
Man's close relative
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Pongo pygmaeus
D.P. Locke, et al., "Comparative and demographic analysis of orang-utan genomes," Nature, 469: 529-33, 2011.
A tiny crustacean
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J.K. Colbourne, et al., "The ecoresponsive genome of Daphnia pulex," Science, 331: 555-61, 2011.
Honeybee genome sequenced
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