Scientists Plan to Rebuild Neanderthal Genome [View All]

[SmokingJacket]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/20/science/20cnd-neanderthal.html?ei=5094&en=46d052e19dc96003&hp=&ex=1153454400&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1153423084-8YSAkhtSoPNCNkHqOkuX6g

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The sequencing of Neanderthal DNA, long a forlorn hope, suddenly seems possible because of a combination of analytic work on ancient DNA by Dr. Paabo and a new kind of DNA sequencing machine developed by 454 Life Sciences.

Because the genome must be kept in constant repair and starts to break up immediately after the death of the cell, the DNA in Neanderthal bones exists in tiny fragments 100 or so units in length. As it happens, this is just the length that works best with the 454 machine, which is also able to decode vast amounts of DNA at low cost.

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:wow:

Too cool!!!