Researchers are also interested in the mouse because so many biological studies have been done using it. Because it's a mammal, it is in many ways genetically close to humans. But it's also distant enough that scientists can easily notice similar patterns in gene sequences between mice and humans. These genes, researchers say, are undoubtedly functionally important because they have survived the evolutionary time between mouse and man. Different aspects of biology call for different species to compare with the human, researchers say.
Different genes are the best for getting information about different conditions.
Merck has already used the data to find a mouse equivalent of a human gene that they believe is related to schizophrenia. The discovery will help the company develop a mouse model to study the gene's association with the disease. In April, Celera Genomics , the company that created its own map of the human genome, said it had completed an assembly of the mouse genome, but that they would not publish their data in a scientific journal. Only those who pay for a subscription to Celera's databases will have access to it. Wired Digital Inc. All rights reserved.