Sequencing and analysis of the giant panda genome

Abstract

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is loved all over the world and is considered a symbol of China, as illustrated by its being one of the mascots for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It is also one of the world’s most endangered animals and a flagship species for conservation. Using next-generation sequencing technology (Illumina Genome Analyzer) and our in-house assembly software, we have generated the first map of the giant panda genome sequence. This map will provide an unparalleled amount of information to aid in understanding the genetic and biological na-ture of this unique species and will contribute significantly to disease control and conservation efforts for this endangered species. In March 2008, the giant panda genome sequencing and analysis project was started at the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) in Shenzhen with collaborators from the Kunming Institute of Zoology and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. On 21 Jan. 2010, this collaboration resulted in the publication, as a cover story in the journal Nature, of the sequencing and analysis of the giant panda genome.