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Asked by 16hennegancave to Asian Hornet, Daubenton's bat, Giant Hogweed, Leathery Sea Squirt, Lion's Mane Jellyfish, Oak Apple Gallwasp, Turkey Oak on 13 Nov 2017.
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Oak Apple Gallwasp answered on 13 Nov 2017:
For me, the next step would be to find out which genes are being used in making the gall. This involves collecting RNA from living galls, converting the RNA to the corresponding DNA, and then finding where this fits in the gallwasp genome. So, the genome is like a dictionary, and the RNA from the gall is a word we want to look up. I hope that makes sense – you might not have learned about RNA yet!
If we can find the important genes, we can then start to work out how different gall wasps make different galls (you can see some examples on my profile page). It might well be that only tiny differences in the important genes are enough to result in really different shapes and sizes of gall – nobody knows!!
And if we can find important genes, we can work out how to turn them off to protect useful plants from dangerous gallwasps (although most gallwasps aren’t dangerous!)
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Daubenton's Bat answered on 13 Nov 2017:
To understand which genes are involved with the bat immune system, how those genes differ from the human immune system and how those differences are expressed in immune system functioning. All of this is to unlock what it is that makes bats special in terms of their immune response to infection.
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Lion's Mane Jellyfish answered on 13 Nov 2017:
Much like Oak Apple Gallwasp’s answer – the next step involves a lot of searching and computer power to match bits of the genome to genes we already know about. Once we know which genes are there, we can look at what they do and how they might differ to other species. (We can also find out if there’s any new undiscovered genetic material!)
For the Lion’s Mane we’d like to know more about the genes involved with their development (who wouldn’t want to know how they get longer than a blue whale?) and reproduction, but also the genes involved in producing and delivering their venom. Once we understand this we will have a better chance of controlling their population – and maybe even other jellyfish species.
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Turkey Oak answered on 14 Nov 2017:
Obtaining the complete genome sequence of a species is just the first step of dicovery. Once one has the sequence they will want to decode it; that is, they will want to know what all the genes are and what proteins they code for. That is a lot of work because a species can have upto 50,000 genes.
Interestingly, for the Turkey Oak, has it lives so long, one can use the genome information to study genome changes through time as some parts of the tree may be several hundred years old while others, the new leaves, for instance, will be just a few weeks old.
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Giant Hogweed answered on 14 Nov 2017:
On mapping the genome, the scientists will first try to decode what the code mean i.e. what chunks of DNA encode for which proteins or toxins (in the case of the giant hogweed). After this they can start looking at how the toxins are produced in the giant hogweed, which biological pathway is responsible for it. After knowing these nitty-gritties, one can make new herbicides which can tame the spread of the giant hogweed. Also, the toxins can be used for good reasons such as biological pesticides which can potentially help to increase food production. So there are lots of questions and lots to do you see! We all have to collaborate in this journey!
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Asian Hornet answered on 14 Nov 2017:
Great question! After mapping the genome, that’s truly when the hard work begins!
1) Comparative analysis with previously sequenced genomes…
We would want to find out what genes make the Asian hornet tick? What makes it unique from other hornets, wasps and insects in general? Are there any clues about why it’s able to spread so rapidly?
Practically speaking we would start by comparing the thousands of genes in the Asian hornet to some of its close relatives. This might include other wasps, but most likely we would focus on the honeybee (which we already know a lot about because its genome was sequenced over a decade ago). We’d be looking to see if we could find differences in shared genes between species, but also whether the hornet has lost genes that other species have, or whether it has new genes that aren’t found elsewhere. These new genes might be particularly interesting, because they might prove to be a point of weakness – something we can ‘target’ safe in the knowledge that we aren’t likely to be also inadvertently targeting native insects. The comparative analysis would help us to begin to answer important questions about how we might control the invasion of the Asian hornet in the UK and elsewhere. Which brings us to…
2) Ecological success and a plan for environmental management…
We would want to try to understand what strategies are most likely to work to control the spread of this species. Are there odours or chemicals that the Asian hornet is genetically predisposed to be sensitive to that native bees and wasps are not likely to be sensitive to? Could we use a sterile insect technique like that used in the control of mosquitos to control Asian hornet populations?
In practice, this would involve looking at the genes involved in regulating specific types of behaviour or developmental pathways. For instance, we might focus on genes involved in making what are known as olfactory receptors – proteins that let the hornet detect certain types of smells in its environment. We might also look at genes regulating reproduction and sex determination. These might help us understand whether the introduction of sterile males into the environment could be a way to manage populations (so that any reproduction does not lead to the production of new colonies). Similar strategies have been used to control fruit fly populations (which damage crops) and mosquito populations (which are vectors for diseases).
3) Evolutionary origins, therapeutic medicines and beyond…
The analysis would not stop with these immediate questions though. The genome would become accessible to researchers from around the world to answer all sorts of interesting questions for many years to come.
For instance, evolutionary biologists could use the genome to try to understand why this species evolved a complex social society whilst other wasps evolved to live solitary lives? Other questions they might ask include what genes regulate the development of different castes in the Asian hornet? That is, what genes are involved in making some hornet larvae develop as future queens and some as workers? What are the evolutionary relationship between the wasps, bees and other insects? When the honeybee genome was sequenced we were surprised to discover that our Western honeybee did not originate in Europe or Asia (as was previously thought), but most likely from Africa. We might find similar surprises about the hornet.
Chemists and clinicians could use the genome to ask whether the proteins that make up the venom in the sting of a hornet have medicinal applications? For instance, a toxin in the venom of the wasp Polybia paulista was recently shown to be useful in targeting cancer cells.
Once the genome is published you will be able to go online and have a look for yourself. The possibilities are endless! It’s very daunting have a whole genome to try to understand, but also very exciting! Maybe one day soon some of you will be involved in our quest!
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Leathery Sea Squirt answered on 25 Nov 2017:
Mapping my genome could be useful for a few reasons…
Firstly, comparing the small differences between the genomes of leathery sea squirts which are living in different parts of the world, humans can work out how I spread. Small, random changes happen to DNA every time an organism breeds, so by seeing how many differences there are between one sea squirt and another, you can get an idea of how closely related they are. This would be really good because sea squirts are growing in number and spreading to lots of ecosystems which aren’t used to having them. Humans would like to stop this happening, but to do that they need to understand how we breed properly!
Secondly, sequencing my genome might help humans understand me as an organism a little better. It’s very hard to get rid of me without damaging other marine life that needs to be preserved, but there might be clues on how to do that in my DNA
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