which eukaryotic organism was the first to have its genome sequenced
In 1996 the first eukaryotic genome (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was sequenced. S. cerevisiae, a model organism in biology has a genome of only around 12 million nucleotide pairs, and was the first unicellular eukaryote to have its whole genome sequenced. The first multicellular eukaryote, and animal, to have its whole genome sequenced was the nematode worm: Caenorhabditis elegans in 1998.
In 1992, the initiative scored a first when the scientists reported the complete sequence of one (chromosome III) of the yeast's 16 chromosomes. It was the first time a eukaryotic chromosome had been completely sequenced.