Sequencing the complete electric eel genome would be a boon to research on everything from energy production and storage to tissue regeneration, according to some scientists.
Six American researchers wrote a review, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, calling for dense, seven- to 11-fold shotgun sequencing of the electric eel genome - a move they said would provide information about more than 95 percent of the fish’s genome as well as its genetic scaffold.
Electric eels, Electrophorus electricus, can generate bioelectricity from chemical food energy using specialized electric organs. These contain electrically-charged cells that, in turn, house precisely regulated ion channels and receptors. Together, this system lets electric eels generate electrical pulses ranging from weak, millivolt discharges to strong zaps up to 600 volts.
Another advantage to this particular creature is its ability to regenerate some tissues and organs - including its spinal chord - after injury. Peeking into the eel’s genome may explain this, as well as its complex evolution and neurophysiology.
Has this project begun yet?
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