Explore how this fascinating code shapes the living world. <\/p>
This guide unlocks the mysteries of genomes and how they shape the living world.<\/strong><\/p> In short, think of your genome as your personal blueprint – the secret code that tells your body how to build you! <\/p> The genome refers to all the genetic material (i.e. DNA) present in the nucleus of a cell<\/a>. \u00a0The DNA which makes up the genome is an essential molecule that codes for life and can be thought of as a book of instructions containing all the information that an organism needs to grow and survive<\/em>.<\/p> Genomes vary enormously in size between different species, with plants showing the greatest diversity of sizes \u00a0(i.e. c. 2,500-fold).<\/em><\/p>Dr Ilia Leitch, Senior Research Leader at Kew<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote> The biggest genome belongs to New Caledonian fern species, found exclusively in New Caledonia and nearby Pacific islands where it makes its home on the trunks and branches of rainforest trees.<\/p> Stretched out,\u00a0the\u00a0Tmesipteris\u00a0oblanceolat<\/em>a\u00a0genome<\/a> is taller than Big Ben\u2019s tower in London. Dr Ilia Leitch explains, “it’s the biggest genome that has ever been discovered out of all organisms that live on this planet.” <\/p> The fern now holds three Guinness World Records for the largest genome, largest plant genome and largest fern genome.<\/p> For comparison, the human genome\u00a0contains\u00a0about\u00a03.1\u00a0Gbp\u00a0distributed across 23 chromosomes<\/a> and when stretched out like a ball of yarn,\u00a0the\u00a0length\u00a0of DNA in each cell\u00a0only measures about 2m.<\/p>What is a genome?<\/h2>
What’s the biggest genome?<\/h2>
What’s the smallest genome?<\/h2>