Table 3. Progress in sequencing animal genomes Species
Status
Mouse, dog, rat, chicken (red jungle fowl) Bovine, chimpanzee, opossum, rhesus macaque Orangutan, marmoset, elephant, shrew, hedgehog, guinea pig, tenrec, armadillo, rabbit, cat, wallaby, platypus
completed advanced draft draft
Dalrymple [2005] and Moore et al. [2005].
General Progress with Animal Genomes and beyond
The advent of significant progress in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and transcriptomics also allows a change of focus in our study of animals. The focus is now shifting towards an understanding of how animal diets, feeding regimes, production conditions and handling strategies influence biological mechanisms and the outcome of these in relation to specific meat, milk and other product quality parameters. In turn, the more fundamental understanding of, for example, muscle physiological and physical processes, and their interactions in relation to gene expression and environmental constraints will enable full exploitation of systems biology approaches. These will shape future management strategies in animal production. With the completion of the human genome, science has begun to unravel and understand human biological complexity through the emerging fields of proteomics and pharmacogenetics [Kauwell, 2005]. Progress in animal genome studies is not as well advanced [Hendersen et al., 2005] but is making rapid progress [Dalrymple, 2005]. The mouse, rat and dog genomes are now available; the bovine genome is close to completion, and several others are at advanced stages of sequencing (table 3). Having the genome sequences available is important because they open the way to address research questions, to undertake genome-wide analyses and to allow comparative studies across the increasing number of available genome sequences. This work forms the basic platform on which we can develop nutrigenomics in the animal production enterprise.
Mammalian Genomics and the Bovine Genome
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has taken a leading role in functional genomics involving a number of
Improving Nutritional Quality of Food
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