Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

POLLEN FORAGING PREFERENCES OF STINGLESS BEES IN AN URBAN GARDEN

Master'sMASTER OF SCIENCE (RSH-FOS

The role of non-volatile chemicals of floral rewards in plant-pollinator interactions

The interaction between plants and pollinators has intrigued scientists for centuries. While it continues to be [a] subject of ongoing research in basic and applied ecology, we tend to ignore that plant-pollinator interactions are largely driven by chemistry. For example, the amounts and composition of various chemical compounds determine flower colour, the attractiveness of scent and the nutritional value of floral rewards. In this perspective article, we focus on the chemistry of pollen and nectar. We discuss differences in the function, diversity and variation of compound groups that are considered macro- and micronutrients for pollinators as well as in non-nutritive plant secondary metabolites (PSM). We highlight that effects of and pollinator responses to different compounds vary strongly among pollinator species and (groups of) compounds. Moreover, we challenge the commonly applied separation between toxic (e.g. several PSMs) and beneficial (e.g. most nutrients) compounds and point to a dose-dependent toxicity across compounds. We finally provide a list of open questions for future research. We draw particular attention to the unknown effects that interactions between plant-produced compounds and externally applied compounds (e.g. pesticides, pollutants) may have on the plant-pollinator mutualism

Autecology of the common fishtail palm, Caryota mitis (Arecaceae), in Singapore

10.1080/23818107.2020.1717612Botany Letters16702265-27