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The Sea Urchin Genome as a Window on Function

Division of Biology 156-29, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: acameron{at}caltech.edu

The emphasis on the sequencing of genomes seems to make this task an end in itself. However, genome sequences and the genes that are predicted from them are really an opportunity to examine the biological function of the organism constructed by that genome. This point is illustrated here by examples in which the newly annotated gene complement reveals surprises about the way Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, the purple sea urchin, goes about its business. The three topics considered here are the nature of the innate immune system; the unexpected complexity of sensory function implied by genes encoding sensory proteins; and the remarkable intricacy of the regulatory gene complement in embryogenesis.

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				R. A. Cameron and J. P. Rast Biological Bulletin Virtual Symposium: Genomics of Large Marine Metazoans Biol. Bull., June 1, 2008; 214(3): 203 - 204. [Full Text] [PDF]