Functional Genomics Thickens the Biological Plot 英文参考文献.docVIP

Open access, freely available online Feature Functional Genomics Thickens the Biological Plot Virginia Gewin J popular mouse (Mus musculus) to the always fruitful ust a handful of species are the basis for a staggering amount of our biological knowledge. From the ever- fruit ?y (Drosophila melanogaster), biologists have cultivated a cadre of model organisms to unravel the intricate mysteries of cell communication, genetics, and embryonic development. “Model system,” however, is a tricky term to de?ne. The biological superstars are seven genetic organisms—yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Escherichia coli, fruit ?y, roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans), mustard plant (Arabidopsis thaliana), zebra?sh (Danio rerio), and mouse—for which “model organism” has become shorthand. Although a second tier of organisms can be cast as models when they facilitate study of a particular biological process, they are often merely supporting actors relegated to a bit part on the biological stage. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0030219.g001 For all the laboratory tales these seven model species have helped to tell, there remains a wealth of evolutionary and ecological questions still to be addressed. Understanding organisms’ responses to mutations and the environment in order to paint a more complete story of biological networks is the biggest challenge in biology today [1]. In addition to providing insight into ecology and evolutionary lineages, studies of nonmodel organisms are sure to reveal as-yet unknown biological mechanisms. Figure 1. Amphioxus, a Small,Translucent, Fish-Like Animal That Is the Closest Living Invertebrate Relative of the Vertebrates Its strategic position on the phylogenetic tree is enough to provide valuable insights—worthy of the years of work to perfect techniques already standard in the superstar model species. (Image: Giovanni Maki) Holland is one of the few researchers to study amphioxus, a small, translucent, ?sh-like animal that is the closest living inver