CANBERRA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Scientists harness rapid genome sequencing to decode the blueprints for Australia's native species, combating biodiversity loss from invasives, climate change and habitat destruction.
Scientists can sequence genomes faster than ever before, and it is revolutionizing research into pests and wildlife, said a statement from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency, on Tuesday.
"Even small insects like grasshoppers can have huge genomes ... We run sophisticated algorithms and computational pipelines to deliver a complete genome," said Tom Walsh, principal research scientist and co-leader of CSIRO's Applied Genomics Initiative.
Genomics now enables sequencing what once took years and millions in weeks for a fraction of the cost, Walsh said.
The Australian Reference Genome Atlas' Genome Tracker reveals only 2 percent of Australia's known and catalogued species sequenced, with mammals at 16 percent, but bats and rats lagging, researchers said.
Research using genomes can provide insights into the resilience, adaptability and population health of threatened and endangered species like the Spotted Handfish and the Night Parrot, by seeing if the small remaining populations are at risk of inbreeding, the statement said.
"Publishing high-quality, annotated genomes and sharing them with other researchers is ultimately what delivers insights that can be used to protect biodiversity through conservation and biosecurity," Walsh said. ■