The Zoonomia Project Describes the Relationship Between Mammals and Humans

Researchers are looking into the genetic makeup of many animals in an effort to understand more about human existence. They are finding characteristics that many animals have in common. One of the primary conclusions they present is that certain genetic information has not changed over the course of evolution. The scientists are a part of the Zoonomia Project, an international endeavor. The research was covered in eleven publications that were published in the most recent edition of Science. Elinor Karlsson and Kerstin Lindblad-Toh oversee the Zoonomia team at the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard.

A total of 240 mammal species were examined. The genomes of the various species, or the “instructions” required by organisms to develop and function, were sequenced and compared. Lindblad-Toh is a comparative genomics instructor at Sweden’s Uppsala University. Even though the human genome was sequenced more than 20 years ago, she claimed that it is still very difficult to identify the functional components. The researchers discovered 4,552 genetic sites that are similar in 235 out of 240 species of mammals. Throughout millions of years of evolution, some aspects have not changed. According to one study, at least 10% of the human genome is mostly unaltered across species.

Certain genes aid in the production of proteins. DNA’s primary role is to regulate cellular processes, which is accomplished by these proteins. Outside of these 1% of genes are the regions of the genome that remain unaltered. It is hypothesized that these unaltered components could have a function and be “regulatory elements.” Commands governing the amount, location, and timing of protein production are contained in these components. Lead author of one of the published research and expert in evolution genetics at Uppsala University is Matthew Christmas.