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Platypus Genome Decoded

Posted by samzenpus on from the a-little-bit-of-everything dept.

TaeKwonDood writes "Is it reptile, bird or mammal? Some of each. Does it have venom, lay eggs and lactate? Yes. Upon discovery in 1798, fellow scientists thought it was for an episode of 'Thou hast been Punk'd,' but this Australia native, on home on land and in water, is real and, finally, it gets its own decoded genome. It's no surprise the DNA is as messed up as the critter itself."

5 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Poisonous by aerthling · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can pick a female up and hug it - only adult males have the spur, iirc.

  2. Re:THCTHCTHC by bh_doc · · Score: 3, Informative

    H isn't a nucleobase. Your choices are C, G, A, T (in DNA), and U (in RNA).

    Yeah, yeah, "Whooosh!" I know.

  3. Re:Poisonous by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Informative

    Here's a poison-free version if you can't resist the hugging urges :)

  4. Re:THCTHCTHC by shawb · · Score: 4, Informative

    Hypoxanthine. That may seem like a bit of a stretch, but this is the platypus we're talking about.

    --
    I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  5. Re:another link by antic · · Score: 3, Informative

    Quick fact for those who weren't aware: the platypus, along with the echidna (kinda like an Australian version of a porcupine or hedgehog?), is a 'monotreme'. Essentially, a mammal that lays eggs.

    --
    'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'