Current Zoology (Feb 2013)
Genomes and evolutionary genomics of animals
Abstract
Alongside recent advances and booming applications of DNA sequencing technologies, a great number of complete genome sequences for animal species are available to researchers. Hundreds of animals have been involved in whole genome sequencing, and at least 87 non-human animal species’ complete or draft genome sequences have been published since 1998. Based on these technological advances and the subsequent accumulation of large quantity of genomic data, evolutionary genomics has become one of the most rapidly advancing disciplines in biology. Scientists now can perform a number of comparative and evolutionary genomic studies for animals, to identify conserved genes or other functional elements among species, genomic elements that confer animals their own specific characteristics and new phenotypes for adaptation. This review deals with the current genomic and evolutionary research on non-human animals, and displays a comprehensive landscape of genomes and the evolutionary genomics of non-human animals. It is very helpful to a better understanding of the biology and evolution of the myriad forms within the animal kingdom [Current Zoology 59 (1): 87–98, 2013].
