Unraveling the Hagfish Genome: Insights into Vertebrate Evolution
An international scientific team has successfully sequenced the first genome of myxini, also known as hagfish, which is the only large group of vertebrates without a reference genome. This achievement has provided insights into the evolutionary history of genome duplications in vertebrates, shedding light on the origin of unique vertebrate structures such as the complex brain, jaw, and limbs. The study, which took nearly a decade and involved over 40 authors from seven countries, has significant implications for understanding the genomic events that led to the emergence of key vertebrate characteristics.