Comparative Genomics Quotes

We have the same genetic code for all living creatures. We have a large number of genes that are manifestly the same, but with detail differences - they look like different drafts of the same book. In extreme cases, like a human and a beetroot, it's like the difference between Matthew and Luke's Gospel - clearly they tell the same story, but with different words. Whereas with a human and a chimp, it's like two different printings of Matthew, with a few typos in one.

The mouse genome is an invaluable tool to interpret the human genome.

The important thing is that we now have the tools to sequence all kinds of animals and plants and microbes - as well as humans. It is not important that we didn't actually finish the human sequence yet.

Biology will relate every human gene to the genes of other animals and bacteria, to this great chain of being.

Genome sequencing has changed taxonomy.

We can do genetics. We can do experiments on fruit flies. We can do experiments on yeast. It's not so easy to do experiments on humans. So, in fact, it helps us, to interpret our own genetic code, to have the genetic code of the other species.

We haven't been able yet to determine in terms of genes what makes a human being a human and not another mammal.

We have a huge amount of DNA in common with jellyfish.