News
The Platypus: Odd both inside and out
June 09, 2009, 11:10PM MT
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By Lhara Ghowry network volunteer
If someone were to look at a platypus, they would not be teased for thinking that a large reptile-bird and a furry mammal had mated and produced some very interesting results. Its flat duck bill and webbed feet make a strange sight to see on a mammal, and there’s no doubt that these unique creatures look odd.
In fact, when the first platypus was shipped over from Australia, people thought they weren’t real. It comes as no surprise therefore, that this animal is as odd as it is on the inside as it is on the outside. A recent scientific study has revealed the genome of the platypus to be just as bizarre as the combination of features that the platypus possesses.
The genome is essentially a ‘genetic blueprint,’ containing information that influences how one looks, acts and functions. Every species has its own genome.
Professor Jenny Graves, a geneticist from the Australian National University and her team of over one hundred scientists from many different countries, found the genome of the platypus to be a combination of a variety of animals: for instance, the genome is responsible for its egg yolk proteins, like that of a bird, but the genome also gives rise to milk proteins like that of a cow. Professor Graves also found the platypus’ genome to share 82% of its genes with species such as humans, dogs, chickens, mice and opossums.
The male platypus also produces venom in its spurs, and this is similar to the venom found in snakes.
As well as this, the platypus was found to have peculiar sex chromosomes. Where as humans have two chromosomes, ‘X’ and ‘Y’, the males were found to have five ‘X’ and five ‘Y’ chromosomes and the females had ten ‘X’ chromosomes. It is thought that the sex determination of the platypus was more similar to birds than mammals.
Although the mishmash of the platypus genome may seem like someone has combined several puzzles together and forced them to stick, scientists view its genome as very important. According to Chris Ponting, University of Oxford, England, the genome of the platypus provides the missing link for understanding how mammals came to evolve, and therefore is of immensely value.
Therefore, this unravelling of the platypus genome may allow for a lot of opportunities, and just goes to show that some things just aren’t meant to be simple.
To read the original stories please follow the links below:
genome
genome
genome
To read more on the platypus:
platypus
platypus
platypus
Photo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Platypus.jpg