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The CNAG takes part in a project for the sequencing of the Iberian lynx genome

By 19 de January de 2011November 18th, 2020No Comments
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© H. Garrido/CSIC
 19.01.2011

The CNAG takes part in a project for the sequencing of the Iberian lynx genome

The project –in which researchers from the National Centre for Genomic Analysis (CNAG), based at the Barcelona Science Park, are taking part– has been one of the five initiatives selected for the programme in its first call. Yesterday, Tuesday, 18 January, at the headquarters of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Rafael Rodrigo, president of the CSIC and the CSIC Foundation, and Emilio Botín, president of Banco Santander, presented the five projects – which receive a total amount of 1,085,000 Euros, thanks to the contribution made by Banco Santander, the CSIC Government Agency and the actual CSIC General Foundation– and handed the credentials to the winning principal investigators of the projects.


“The sequencing of the Iberian lynx genome ” –headed by José Antonio Godoy from the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC)– is aimed at achieving the sequencing of the genome of this mammal, which would allow the collection of valuable information, resources and tools to study the biology and evolution of this species to ensure its preservation. In addition to its scientific and conservationist interest, this project encompasses an important innovative and strategic component: the genome of the Iberian lynx would become the first genome of a mammal that has been sequenced in its entirety in Spain and in one of the first complex genomes that has been sequenced by means of new sequencing technologies.

The CNAG will be involved in the sequencing and analysis of the samples. At present, it has 12 new generation sequencing systems in operation capable of producing over 100 Gb of sequencing per day (or the equivalent of a human genome). This will allow to obtain the reference sequence of the lynx genome and to analyse its variability in 10 individuals. The researchers collaborating in this project are Mònica Bayés, Tyler Alioto, Paolo Ribeca and Simon Heath, led by Ivo Gut, director of the CNAG.

The programme is intended to promote excellence research, singular and extraordinary work, from a multidisciplinary perspective. This programme is aimed at research teams working at Spanish R+D public institutions and it is organised into open calls that fall into the framework of four main strategic lines of the Foundation: Threatened Species; Ageing, Disability and Disease; Human Ecology and Development; and Borders.

This first call has been launched with the goal of promoting the development of high-impact research projects aiming to protect and preserve threatened or endangered animal and plant species and a total of 41 proposals have been received.