Late last year, researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, completed the complicated process of sequencing (essentially decoding) the domestic cat's genome. This was no easy task, considering the cat has 20,285 genes that make up the genome.
Future benefits will be reaped for cats and humans. Cats share many human-like diseases, including an HIV/AIDS-type virus, called FIV, which is a "genetic relative". And the feline autoimmunie disease FeLV could also contribute to an AIDS cure as well as crack Leukemia for both cat and human.
Genome sequencing has also been completed on cows, dogs, mice, chimpanzees, and rats. The full article gives much more depth into the benefits of this knowledge and how it will be used to keep all us mammals healthy.
Read full article: WIS10
