Opossum Genome Sequencing May Benefit Human Health

The humble opossum is the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced, raising hopes of insights into human health. About three-quarters of the opossum's 15,000 genes closesly correspond to our own.

The kangaroo might seem a more obvious choice, but opossums -- being smaller, easier to breed and less likely to break things while jumping -- are used as lab models for human disease, in particular cancer and neurological disorders. Unlike other marsupials, opossums don't nurse their young in a pouch, making it easy to study their development.

This open arrangement makes the study of early developmental processes much simpler, and should give scientists clues as to how they perform a number of very clever biological tricks.

For example, when newborns crawl to their mother's teats, they are little more than a mouth and gut. They have no functioning immune system but are still able to survive in an open, "dirty" environment.
Looking at the genes should help scientists work out how this is possible.

Research has also shown that newborns can regrow their spinal cords, even if they are completely severed.

"The genome hasn't told us exactly how they do that but the genome provides us with a blueprint for further study and for being able to apply some of that knowledge to humans," commented Chris Gunter, a senior biology editor at Nature.

Tiny marsupial records DNA first [BBC]

Opossum's Genome Is in the Bag [Science]
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Image: Savinca*