Mapping the spider genome: Surprising similarities to humans
Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - 18:20
in Biology & Nature
For the first time ever, a group of researchers has sequenced the genome of the spider. This knowledge provides a much more qualified basis for studying features of the spider. It also shows that humans share certain genomic similarities with spiders. However, the sequencing has far greater significance for our future understanding of the spider's special properties. The researchers worked with two types of spiders, representing two of the three main groups in the spider family. One of these is a small velvet spider and the other is a tarantula.