We may be at different ends of the food chain but a University of Queensland researcher has drawn a link between abalone and humans.
Dr Liz O’Brien, who studied parts of the genetic code of the tropical abalone for her PhD thesis, found humans and abalone share genes that are active in the brain and sensory system.
“When we analyse DNA code we find incredible genetic similarity between very different animals,” Dr O’Brien said.
“Some genes are so well suited to the roles they play they have remained unchanged despite millions of years of evolution.”
She said for such conservation of gene code and expression in animals that have evolved independently for millions of years also indicates an essential function for these genes.
“They are so well suited to the role they play that they have not been altered for millennia,” she said.
“It`s amazing to think about how powerful evolution can be. A common starting point gave rise to animals as complex and as different as abalone and humans.”
While most people might find looking at DNA sequences not much fun, Dr O’Brien said her work was very easy to get excited about.
“Not only are they a very easy animal to work with but they are also delicious,” she said.
“And the research itself is fascinating as it is coming back to basic science and understanding where we come from and who we are.
“The discovery of these genes and their proposed function adds another bit to the puzzle and reaffirms that once we all had a common ancestor.”
Media: for more information contact Liz O’Brien (telephone 0416 186 870 or email liz.obrien@dpi.qld.gov.au) or Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2802).
