Most Extensive Genetic Resource For Reef-building Coral Created

[Frankie]

ScienceDaily (May 11, 2009) — A nearly complete collection of genes for a species of reef-building coral has been assembled by a team led by biologists from The University of Texas at Austin.
The scientists will use the genetic data to understand natural variations in corals from around the world and how they respond, at the genetic level, to rising water temperatures.
"One of the most important questions for coral biologists is whether it will be possible for corals to adapt to the warming oceans," says Eli Meyer, postdoctoral researcher in the Section of Integrative Biology. "Answering that question requires a detailed knowledge of the genes that corals use to respond to stress."
Most Extensive Genetic Resource For Reef-building Coral Created

 

[BigAl07]

Wow! that's HUGE!

Hopefully this will be a launch pad for many other advancements. We've gotta learn how to stop AND reverse all the mess we're creating.

Thanks Frankie.

 

[Wakeskater02]

That's so cool! I bet at some point humans will be able to alter the genome for specific corals to make them withstand all types of different stresses!

Very interesting.

 

[squiers007]

I'm about to get my Masters in Marine Biology, and know that there are people working on making corals more thermo-tolerant as we speak. Having the whole genome of a coral mapped out will be a huge help in understanding how corals respond to stress and what we can do to help them. Hopefully I will be able to work on something similar for my Ph.D. project. Also, I like that people in the aquarium trade are interested in the science behind the organisms they keep, and I hope that more people will research and do there part to help the coral reefs. Ok, thats enough rambling, have a great day everyone!

 

[Wakeskater02]

I'm about to get my Masters in Marine Biology, and know that there are people working on making corals more thermo-tolerant as we speak. Having the whole genome of a coral mapped out will be a huge help in understanding how corals respond to stress and what we can do to help them. Hopefully I will be able to work on something similar for my Ph.D. project. Also, I like that people in the aquarium trade are interested in the science behind the organisms they keep, and I hope that more people will research and do there part to help the coral reefs. Ok, thats enough rambling, have a great day everyone!

Definitely, interested.

 

[Basile]

Awsome thanks Frankie. Great pics too.