China's Scientists Sequence Goose Genome
CHINA - Chinese scientists have sequenced the complete genome of the white goose – a first for the world – which is likely to benefit research into poultry breeding, anti-epidemic and bird domestication.Researchers from Zhejiang Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhedong White Goose Institute in Xiangshan County of Zhejiang Province and Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) mapped the complete genome sequence of the Zhedong white goose after two years of efforts, according to official sources.
Zhedong white goose is known for its fast early-stage growth rate.
The complete sequencing of the Zhedong white goose genome lays a solid and theoretical foundation for understanding the growth performance, meat quality and biological breeding rules of the goose at the DNA level, and plays an important role in the selective breeding of high-quality varieties and improving reproduction.