Honey bee genome sequenced
Genetic sequence generates research buzz.
9 January 2004
HELEN R. PILCHER

A draft version of the honey bee genome has been made available to the
public - a move that should benefit bees and humans alike.

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is multi-talented. It produces honey,
pollinates crops and is used by researchers to study human genetics, ageing,
disease and social behaviour. "Without bees and pollination, the entire
ecosystem would crumble," says Richard Gibbs, who led the sequencing effort
at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Its genome is about one-tenth the size of its human equivalent, containing
about 300 million DNA base pairs. Because the genome is relatively small,
genes should be easy to identify, says bee researcher Steve Martin from the
University of Sheffield, UK. Many of these will be similar to their human
counterparts, he says.

The bee genome may also help us understand the genetics of ageing and social
behaviour, says Martin. Queen bees, for example, can live five times as long
as their subordinates. Unpicking their genes may help researchers understand
why.

Read the rest at Nature
http://www.nature.com/nsu/040105/040105-7.html

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