Great Barrier Reef corals subject of gene examination

by Rich Bowden - Jul 31 2009, 02:48

Corals that form a major part of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef are to be the subject of a gene exploration.

According to a University of Queensland news release, the joint undertaking by the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) will result in the first animal genome to be fully sequenced and assembled in Australia.

“It's a genuine first for Australian science. said Professor David Miller of CoECRS, co-leader of the project.”

“For years we have been looking on while overseas countries explored the genetic potential of our iconic native species. Now at last we have a genome project that is 100 per cent Australian,” he added.

The coral to be studied is the “staghorn coral” or Acropora millepora, which has around 20,000 genes -- the same as a human.

“Acropora millepora, is already the best-characterised coral at the molecular level and has yielded important insights into the evolution of all animals,” said Professor Miller. “Corals are among the simplest animals and may reflect the ancestral animal condition and reveal important features of genome evolution.”

The project is seen by the team as an important step in the advancement of Australian biotechnology.

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