New Delhi: A new research led by European Molecular Biology Laboratory has revealed the reason behind the rich diversity found in mammals. The research, which was published in journal Cell, also explained why dolphin isn’t a cat.

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Researchers explained the reason behind the divergence of mammals by examining genome sequences in around twenty nine mammals and comparing gene regulation in liver cells from twenty key species.
The team explained that even both the changes can occur at the same time when amino acid sequences evolve very quickly.

Head of Vertebrate Genomics, Paul Flicek said, their research focuses on evolution re-purposes things that exist in all species, to make each species unique, and by looking at gene promoters and enhancers in many different mammals. The study demonstrated that species-specific enhancers come from ancient DNA.
“What we’ve shown is that evolution re purposes things that exist in all species, to make each species unique,”  Flicek said.

“By looking at gene promoters and enhancers in many different mammals, we demonstrated that species-specific enhancers come from ancient DNA – that evolution captures DNA that’s been around for a long time, and uses it for gene regulation in specific tissues,” he added.

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