Cell culture of marine genomic model species and experimental verification of predictions from comparative analysis of genomic sequences Using in vitro cell culture systems, the functional significance of conserved, putative regulatory sequences predicted through comparative computational analysis in, for instance, the 5¢upstream region of select genes can be tested experimentally. The availability of sufficient genomic information facilitates targeted studies to evaluate such potential functional regulatory regions. Comparative experimental studies can be designed employing cell lines derived from any species, though mammalian cell lines have thus far been favored (Mather and Barnes 1997; Barnes and Sato 2000) . Reporter constructs containing regulatory regions of select genes can be generated using up to 5 kb upstream of the transcriptional start site of the relevant genes; these are inserted upstream of a reporter gene such as that for an enhanced fluorescent protein.