Uncovering the Amazing Connections between Humans and Animals through Zoonomia: Genetic Research

Scientists are discovering new things by analyzing the genetic information of different animals. They’ve noticed that certain aspects of how we all live are the same, no matter what sort of mammal you are – even humans! This shows us that there is something shared between us and other creatures, which has stayed consistent for a long time.

Scientists from the Zoonomia Project recently released 11 research papers in the journal Science. This project aims to gain a better understanding of both human traits and animal abilities, such as hibernation – and even the genetics behind Balto, a sled dog who saved people’s lives 100 years ago! David O’Connor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison said these studies are tackling important questions.

O’Connor said that it’s amazing how things such as animals and humans can be both similar and different. That’s why being a biologist is so cool!

A team of researchers decide to look at the genomes (the instructions for development and growth) of 240 different mammals, from bats all the way to bison. They studied their sequences and did some comparison between them.

Scientists have discovered that certain areas of mammal genomes haven’t changed much throughout evolution, even though millions of years have passed. One study found that at least 10% of the human genome is identical across different species. Most of these regions are in the 1% of DNA that give instructions to build proteins and control how cells function.

Scientists believe that certain areas of our genome have been kept safe for a reason, and they call these areas “regulatory elements.” These regions tell us when, where, and how much protein is created inside our bodies. Recently, scientists found more than 3 million regulatory elements in the human body – half of which weren’t known before this recent discovery.

Scientists studied change within the animal kingdom. When they looked at genetic sequences of different species, they noticed that some had changed a lot in a short time. This showed how these animals were adapting to their environment.

Karlsson said that one cool thing about mammals is that they adapted so they can live almost anywhere on Earth.

Scientists wanted to find out which genes humans don’t have compared to other mammals. Steven Reilly from Yale University said instead of looking for new genes that make us unique, we should see which pieces of DNA are missing because those could be the cause for some of our unique traits.

A different research showed how even a tiny difference in the DNA between chimps and humans can lead to changes in gene expression that might explain why humans tend to have longer brain development than other animals.

Another study paid attention to Balto, an animal everybody knows about, and measured how fit it is.

Scientists studied the genome of a sled dog who once took part in an important mission. He was part of a team that delivered medicine to Nome, Alaska in 1925. They made a movie about him in 1995, and even put up a statue of the pup in Central Park in New York City.

Scientists studied Balto’s genes compared to other dogs, and they found that he had more genetic variations than regular breeds. Katherine Moon from University of California said Balto showed us through his genetics how it can impact each dog differently. Furthermore, experts are sure that further research will provide even more information about Balto’s positively impacted on his environment.

Having the right tools and asking challenging questions can help scientists understand life around them better. The Big Big News Health and Science Department receive support from Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.The AP company is solely responsible for all content.