Comparative Genomics

Comparative Genomics

 

 

What is comparative genomics?

 

Comparative genomics is a field of biological research in which the genomic features of different organisms are compared. Whole or large parts of genomes resulting from genome projects are compared to study basic biological similarities and differences as well as evolutionary relationships between organisms. Common features of two organisms will often be encoded within the DNA that is evolutionarily conserved between them. Therefore, comparative genomic approaches start with making some form of alignment of genome sequences and looking for orthologous sequences in the aligned genomes and checking to what extent those sequences are conserved.

 

Where comparative genomics is applied?

 

Evolutionary theory is also the theoretical foundation of comparative genomics, and at the same time the results of comparative genomics unprecedentedly enriched and developed the theory of evolution. Similarity of related genomes is the basis of comparative genomics. Two creatures which have a recent common ancestor, the species difference genomes between them were evolved from ancestors’ genome, the closer the two organisms on the evolutionary stages, the higher their genome correlated.

 

Which techniques are used for studying comparative genomics?

 

Computational tools for analyzing sequences and complete genomes are developed quickly due to the availability of large amount of genomic data. Internet-based genome browsers provide many useful tools for investigating genomic sequences due to integrating all sequence-based biological information on genomic regions.

 

Refrences
 

1. Ellegren, H. (2008). Comparative genomics and the study of evolution by natural selection. Mol Ecol. 17(21):4586-96.