Journal
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
Volume 105, Issue 1, Pages 1-18Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est084
Keywords
biodiversity; comparative genomics; consortium; evolution; GIGA; invertebrates; metazoa
Categories
Funding
- American Genetic Association
- Special Event Award
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics (Russia Ministry of Science Mega grant) [11.G34.31.0068]
- Life Technologies and BioNanoGenomics
- National Science Foundation's Assembling the Tree of Life (DEB awards) [0732903, 0829763, 0829783, 0829791, 0829986]
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems [1045243] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Environmental Biology
- Direct For Biological Sciences [0829791, 0829763, 0829783, 1146337, 0732903] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Environmental Biology
- Direct For Biological Sciences [0829986] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems
- Direct For Biological Sciences [1146575] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Over 95% of all metazoan (animal) species comprise the invertebrates, but very few genomes from these organisms have been sequenced. We have, therefore, formed a Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA). Our intent is to build a collaborative network of diverse scientists to tackle major challenges (e.g., species selection, sample collection and storage, sequence assembly, annotation, analytical tools) associated with genome/transcriptome sequencing across a large taxonomic spectrum. We aim to promote standards that will facilitate comparative approaches to invertebrate genomics and collaborations across the international scientific community. Candidate study taxa include species from Porifera, Ctenophora, Cnidaria, Placozoa, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Annelida, Bryozoa, and Platyhelminthes, among others. GIGA will target 7000 noninsect/nonnematode species, with an emphasis on marine taxa because of the unrivaled phyletic diversity in the oceans. Priorities for selecting invertebrates for sequencing will include, but are not restricted to, their phylogenetic placement; relevance to organismal, ecological, and conservation research; and their importance to fisheries and human health. We highlight benefits of sequencing both whole genomes (DNA) and transcriptomes and also suggest policies for genomic-level data access and sharing based on transparency and inclusiveness. The GIGA Web site () has been launched to facilitate this collaborative venture.
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