Its characteristic “gluglú” can be heard from up to 1.6 km away in the forest. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1000475 7 September 2010 Authors: Andrea Jiménez García, Laura Macaya Coscollola, Monica Ballester Carbonell, Nicolás Anguita Leiva
Category: Species cards (GE)
New World Screwworm Fly
Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World Screwworm Fly, is an obligate parasitic fly whose larvae infest warm-blooded animals, feeding on living tissues and causing severe myiasis. Its genome is considerably big, having a high level of repetitive DNA. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01152-4 Authors: Lucía Martí, Alba Paniagua, Lukas Robertson, Paula Vera
Rothschild giraffe
The Rothschild giraffe combines extreme adaptations and unique mutations, such as in the FGFRL1 gene. These grant it resistance to the extreme hypertension caused by its long neck and are also associated with an increase in bone mineral density, which is essential for its body structure. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe9459 Authors: Laura Martín Zamora, Mercè Pons Rigo,…
Robusta coffee
Coffea canephora, the robusta coffee plant, possesses a relatively small genome size of 710 Mb, which is notably small for an angiosperm. Its genome diverged phylogenetically before a whole-genome polyploidization event suffered by other eudicots. DOI: 10.1126/science.1255274 September/05/2014 Authors: Pau Avellana Ascanio, Anna Marinello Expósito, Julia Martín Martín, Ona Nieto Rodríguez
Coconut rhinoceros beetle
The coconut rhinoceros beetle is one of the biggest beetles yet found, with an enormous horn. This horn is the reason for its name. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-022-08628-z June/07/2022 Authors: Lucía Ramos Sapena, Ángela Reinón Miguel, María Villena Jiménez
Weddell seal
Leptonychotes weddellii, the Weddell seal, is one of the world’s southernmost mammals and can dive for up to ~90 minutes and over 300 m deep. Its genome reveals strong adaptations in lipid metabolism and hypoxia-tolerance enabling deep, cold dives. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03089-2; published on 17/02/2022. Authors: Iker Álvarez Coca, Jone Eizagirre Galarraga, Júlia Pérez Vilardell, Nerea Rubio…
Chinese hamster
CHO cells (from the Chinese hamster ovary) are one of the most widely used cell lines in biotechnology because they glycosylate human proteins well and are very safe to culture. For this reason, they are currently used to produce most biological medicines, such as antibodies and hormones. The first article where the genome is assembled…
Golden/Syrian hamster
Mesocricetus auratus is a key model in biomedical research. Its genome closely resembles that of humans in genes related to diseases such as COVID-19. When infected with SARS-CoV-2, it reduces energy consumption and body temperature, reproducing human symptoms and helping to understand how the virus affects metabolism. Authors: Carme Cañizares Bruguera, Xiomara García Marcos, Lorena…
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos, the golden eagle, is a monogamous bird that, even though its grand size, can fly up to 300 km/h, therefore represents a symbol of strength. Its genome reveals evidence for a unique vision system biased towards ultraviolet vision. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095599. Authors: Júlia Genovart Armayones, Mindy Janella Miranda Hernández, Mar Pons Jori, Nora Yoldi…
Brown bear
Brown bears can enter a metabolic state similar to hibernation even outside the cave, and their genome reveals genes associated with the ability to “switch off” processes such as muscle degradation and bone loss. This makes them a fascinating biological model for studying human diseases such as osteoporosis or muscle atrophy, as they spend months…