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Daily Archives: June 9, 2021
The ‘second quantum revolution’ is almost here. We need to make sure it benefits the many, not the few – The Conversation AU
Posted: June 9, 2021 at 3:12 am
Over the past six years, quantum science has noticeably shifted, from the domain of physicists concerned with learning about the universe on extremely small scales, to a source of new technologies we all might use for practical purposes. These technologies make use of quantum properties of single atoms or particles of light. They include sensors, communication networks, and computers.
Quantum technologies are expected to impact many aspects of our society, including health care, financial services, defence, weather modelling, and cyber security. Clearly, they promise exciting benefits. Yet the history of technology development shows we cannot simply assume new tools and systems will automatically be in the public interest.
We must look ahead to what a quantum society might entail and how the quantum design choices made today might impact how we live in the near future. The deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning over the past few years provides a compelling example of why this is necessary.
Lets consider an example. Quantum computers are perhaps the best-known quantum technology, with companies like Google and IBM competing to achieve quantum computation. The advantage of quantum computers lies in their ability to tackle incredibly complex tasks that would take a normal computer millions of years. One such task is simulating molecules behaviour to improve predictions about the properties of prospective new drugs and accelerate their development.
One conundrum posed by quantum computing is the sheer expense of investing in the physical infrastructure of the technology. This means ownership will likely be concentrated among the wealthiest countries and corporations. In turn, this could worsen uneven power distribution enabled by technology.
Other considerations for this particular type of quantum technology include concerns about reduced online privacy.
How do we stop ourselves blundering into a quantum age without due forethought? How do we tackle the societal problems posed by quantum technologies, while nations and companies race to develop them?
Last year, CSIRO released a roadmap that included a call for quantum stakeholders to explore and address social risks. An example of how we might proceed with this has begun at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The WEF is convening experts from industry, policy-making, and research to promote safe and secure quantum technologies by establishing an agreed set of ethical principles for quantum computing.
Australia should draw on such initiatives to ensure the quantum technologies we develop work for the public good. We need to diversify the people involved in quantum technologies in terms of the types of expertise employed and the social contexts we work from so we dont reproduce and amplify existing problems or create new ones.
Read more: Scientists want to build trust in science and technology. The alternative is too risky to contemplate
While we work to shape the impacts of individual quantum technologies, we should also review the language used to describe this second quantum revolution.
The rationale most commonly used to advocate for the field narrowly imagines public benefit of quantum technologies in terms of economic gain and competition between nations and corporations. But framing this as a race to develop quantum technologies means prioritising urgency, commercial interests and national security at the expense of more civic-minded concerns.
Its still early enough to do something about the challenges posed by quantum technologies. Its also not all doom and gloom, with a variety of initiatives and national research and development policies setting out to tackle these problems before they are set in stone.
We need discussions involving a cross-section of society on the potential impacts of quantum technologies on society. This process should clarify societal expectations for the emerging quantum technology sector and inform any national quantum initiative in Australia.
Read more: Why are scientists so excited about a recently claimed quantum computing milestone?
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UK govt and IBM together to build 210M AI & quantum computing centre in Daresbury – UKTN (UK Technology News
Posted: at 3:12 am
Modern-day complex problems require power-packed technological solutions to revamp industrial growth. UK government is stepping into helping industries get maximum access to the latest technology and modernising by establishing an AI and quantum computing centre in Daresbury, Cheshire.
The government will invest 172m over five years through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with a further investment of 38m from computing giant IBM. The centre is now aimed at developing next-generation computers using AI and quantum computing technologies to help out the businesses future-ready.
The Centre will be operated through collaboration between IBM and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation (HNCDI) programme will create 60 new job and exciting opportunities for students to witness complex problem solving through technology application.
Further, the centre will support AI & Quantum Computing application to tasks such as optimising complex logistics, power grid distribution, designing and manufacturing, traffic management, warehouse management and product innovation.
HNCDI will work with different sectors, including materials, life sciences, environment and manufacturing. It will also engage in collaboration with academic and industrial research communities, startups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Ms Solloway, the science minister said quantum computing and AI were not just far-fetched ideas, but real technologies that are already transforming our lives. Artificial intelligence and quantum computing have the potential to revolutionise everything from the way we travel to the way we shop. The building blocks of everyday products like your laptop or your phone are already products of quantum technology, harnessing the unique ways that light and matter behave at tiny atomic or subatomic levels.
Further, she added, This fantastic new partnership with IBM will not only help businesses get ready for the future of computing but create 60 jobs in the region boosting innovation and growing the economy as we build back better from the pandemic.
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the centres aim was to make cutting-edge technologies like AI and quantum computing more accessible to businesses and public sector organisations.
As well as breaking down practical barriers to using new technologies, the team of experts will also provide training and support to make sure the UK is at the forefront of the next generation of computing, he added.
Prof Mark Thomson, STFCs executive chairman said that by allowing industry to access a ready-made community of digital experts and cutting-edge technology, it will provide momentum for new ideas and solutions.
This programme has the potential to transform the way UK industry engages with AI and digital technologies, to the benefit of not just research communities but all of society.
Senior VP and Director of IBM Research, Mr Dario Gil said that This partnership establishes our first Discovery Accelerator in Europe driven by our two UK-based IBM Research locations in Hursley and Daresbury as they contribute to our global mission of building discovery-driven communities around the world.
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Global Quantum Computing Market to Gain $667.3 Million and Surge at a CAGR of 30.0% from 2020-2027 Timeframe – Exclusive [193 pages] COVID-19 Impact…
Posted: at 3:12 am
The global quantum computing industry is projected to surge from 2020 to 2027 due to the rise in the number of cyber-attacks across the world. Consulting solutions sub-segment is estimated to be the most profitable. The European market is estimated to be the most dominating during the forecasted period.
New York, USA, June 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a recent report studied by Research Dive, the global quantum computing market is speculated to exceed $667.3 million by the end of 2027, rising from a market size of $88.2 million in 2019, at a growth rate of 30.0% during 2020-2027 estimated timeframe. The report highlights the coronavirus mayhem impact on the market, major drivers, hindrances, and regional outlook of the market. The research methodology used in the report is a combination of both primary and secondary research methods.
Download FREE Sample Report of the Global Quantum Computing Market: https://www.researchdive.com/download-sample/8332
Covid-19 Outbreak Impact on the Global Market
The quantum computing market is anticipated to experience a positive impact globally during the coronavirus crises. The reason for market growth is that quantum technology offers augmented performance computing that can shift dynamics for quantum chemistry. Further, quantum technology provides exponential speed for amplified optimization and vital calculations. These facets are predicted to govern the market growth during the coronavirus emergency.
Check out How COVID-19 impacts the Global Quantum Computing Market. Click here to Connect with our Analyst to get more Market Insight: https://www.researchdive.com/connect-to-analyst/8332
Aspects Impacting the Market
The global quantum computing market is projected to witness progressive growth due to rise in the cyber-attack cases. Quantum technology assures security to software systems and applications and protects vital data of organizations from attacks such as ransomware, phishing, worms, and much more. Furthermore, key companies of the market are planning strategic frameworks by utilizing quantum personal computers for cyber-security. These aspects are anticipated to surge the market growth during the forecasted timeframe. However, a lack of awareness of quantum technology and unskilled employees is expected to hinder the market growth. On the other hand, the ability of quantum technology to aid farmers in augmenting the yield and efficiency of plants is projected to create promising opportunities for the market growth.
Story continues
Access Varied Market Reports Bearing Extensive Analysis of the Market Situation, Updated With The Impact of COVID-19: https://www.researchdive.com/covid-19-insights
Consulting Solutions Sub-Segment to be the Most Profitable
From the offerings type segment, the consulting solutions sub-segment is anticipated to reach newer heights during the timeframe. The sub-segment is expected to register a revenue of $354.0 million by the end of the 2027 timeframe. The sub-segment upsurge is due to the usage of quantum computing in applications such as drug discovery, formulation of chemicals, material science, and automotive. Apart from this, it is also used in the chemical industry, aerospace & defense, healthcare, and energy & power sectors. These wide-scale applications are speculated to bolster the growth of the sub-segment during the forecasted years.
Check out all Information and communication technology & media Industry Reports: https://www.researchdive.com/information-and-communication-technology-and-media
Machine Learning Sub-Segment to Gain Maximum Revenue
From the application segment, the machine learning sub-segment is projected to achieve maximum revenue during the forecasted timeframe. The sub-segment is anticipated to cross $236.9 million by the end of 2027, rising from a market share of $29.7 million in the year 2019. The ability of quantum learning to accelerate machine learning such as optimization, deep learning, Kernel evaluation, and linear algebra is expected to propel the sub-segment market growth during the analyzed timeframe.
Finance & Banking Sub-Segment to Witness Rapid Growth
From the end-user segment, the finance & banking sub-division is speculated to grow rapidly and register a revenue of $159.2 million by 2027. The sub-segment growth is due to the usage of quantum technology in banking for supporting the large-frequency trading aspect.
Regional Outlook
The European market was expected to hold a market size of $28.2 million in 2019 and is speculated to garner a revenue of $221.2 million by the end of 2027. The market growth is mainly attributed to the extensive use of quantum computing in fields such as chemicals, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and utilities. Moreover, its usage in cryptography, novel drugs, defense, and cybersecurity is predicted to drive the global market during the estimated timeframe.
Major Key Players
QC Ware, Corp. Cambridge Quantum Computing Limited D-Wave Systems Inc., International Business Machines Corporation Rigetti Computing 1QB Information Technologies River Lane Research StationQ Microsoft Anyon Google Inc.
These leading players are planning varied strategies such as acquisitions of companies, product developments, tie-ups & collaborations for maximizing profits, research & development, and organizational development to gain an upper edge in the market worldwide. For example, in April 2021, Nvidia, a computer systems design services company, revealed cuQuantum SDK. This product is a developmental platform for revitalizing quantum circuits on GPU-accelerated systems.
The report consists of various facets of all the vital players that are operative in the market such as financial performance, product portfolio, present strategic moves, major developments and SWOT. Click Here to Get Absolute Top Companies Development Strategies Summary Report.
TRENDING REPORTS WITH COVID-19 IMPACT ANALYSIS
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) Protection Market https://www.researchdive.com/8335/advanced-persistent-threat-apt-protection-market
Network Slicing Market https://www.researchdive.com/5670/network-slicing-market
Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) Market https://www.researchdive.com/5478/signals-intelligence-sigint-market
Application Security Market https://www.researchdive.com/5735/application-security-market
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Find the reason for the Rise of Global Quantum Computing Technologies Market Growth in Future will grow to at CAGR 15.89% from 2020 to 2027 The…
Posted: at 3:12 am
Quantum computing are being used in computationally intensive applications such as artificial intelligence. Quantum machine learning (QML) is a combination of machine learning and quantum physics. Alphabet Inc. launched TensorFlow Quantum library in March 2020 for developing QML apps. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University are using QML for developing COVID-19 treatment. These applications will drive the quantum computing technologies market in future. From the healthcare perspective, quantum computing technologies can lead to dramatic acceleration in speed and performance both. Radiation therapy is the widely-used form of treatment for oncology. Radiation beams are used to destroy cancerous cells. Devising a radiation plan is to minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue and body parts is a very complicated optimization problem with thousands of data. To arrive at the optimal radiation plan requires many simulations until an optimal solution is determined. The horizon of possibilities that can be considered between each simulation is much broader and large in nature. Such a factor is expected to boost the overall market growth.
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The detailed research study provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of quantum computing technologies market. The market has been analyzed from demand as well as supply side. The demand side analysis covers market revenue across regions and further across all the major countries. The supply side analysis covers the major market players and their regional and global presence and strategies. The geographical analysis done emphasizes on each of the major countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America.
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Bristol startup scores 3.1M to control next-gen quantum hacks threatening the future of internet – UKTN (UK Technology News
Posted: at 3:12 am
The quantum computing industry witnessed exponential growth over recent years. As a result, the threat of quantum attacks on our communications is rapidly approaching a point when quantum computers will be able to crack all the existing encryption that protects our data.
Bristol-based KETS Quantum Security is a quantum tech company passionate about solving real-world security issues by leveraging the advantages of quantum technologies.
Redefining the Future of Secure Communications, the company just bagged 3.1 million in funding to bring to market hardware to protect data from a new generation of cyberattacks that will use quantum computers. The round was co-led by Quantonation and Speedinvest, with participation from Mustard Seed MAZE.
The investment will be used to accelerate development, production, and delivery of first products. It will also allow KETS to expand key first trials of the technology in real-world applications and environments that are already in development. To deliver all of this, KETS will continue building a world-leading team passionate about the companys technology and values. Furthermore, KETS will continue to expand into the global marketplace beyond its first international office following its recent expansion into Paris.
In todays world, we dont go 30 seconds without touching digital technology of some kind, all of which is networked, none of which is quantum-safe, said Dr Chris Erven, CEO and co-founder of KETS Quantum Security. At KETS, weve made it our mission to protect the worlds most valuable resourceinformationfrom the threat of quantum computing. This investment will allow us to make quantum-safe communications solutions ubiquitous and easily integrated. Ultimately, KETS is building a world in which we can trust our digital connections as much as our personal ones.
Olivier Tonneau from Quantonation said, KETS is reaching a key point in its story, with products that will now be available to deploy, bringing clients the worlds first on-chip, quantum-secured solutions protecting against the future threat of quantum computers.
Rick Hao from Speedinvest said, KETS is developing technology with a vision to solve some of the global cybersecurity challenges faced by the largest organisations by combining the power of quantum encryption technologies with the scalability and practicality of integrated, chip-based quantum photonics. Bristol is leading the world on building quantum technology hardware, and Speedinvest is excited to be backing great deep tech entrepreneurs here.
Current cybersecurity is threatened by powerful hardware, sophisticated algorithms and the emergence of quantum computing. KETS on-chip Quantum Key Distribution offers a practical solution by optically distributing secure cryptographic keys. Secret random numbers are at the heart of cryptography. Inferior generators can render communications insecure.
Established in 2016 by Chris Erven, Caroline Clark, and Jake Kennard, KETS Quantum Security develops a unique chip-based solutions provide ultra-low size power and weight without compromising performance. It develops protection against quantum security threats, starting with chip-based, quantum-safe encryption development kits.
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STFC and IBM sign 210m AI and quantum computing deal – BusinessCloud
Posted: at 3:12 am
TheScience and Technology FacilitiesCouncilhas announced a 210 million deal with IBM to acceleratediscovery and innovation with artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
Science Minister Amanda Solloway unveiledthefive-year partnershipwhich will see the launch oftheHartree National Centre for Digital Innovation in theNorth Westtosupport UK businesses and the public sector.
The aim is tobreak down practical barriers to innovation such as access to infrastructure or digital skills gaps within organisationsin sectors such asmaterials development, life sciences, environmental sustainability and manufacturing.
By advancing the pace at which businesses can take advantage of new digital technologies, the collaborationis expected toenhance productivity, create new skilled jobs and boost regional and national economic growth.
Based in Daresbury, an additional 60 new scientists, interns and students will join IBM Research and the Hartree Centre.
The research is part of IBMs global Discovery Accelerator initiative, which seeks to accelerate discovery and innovation based on a convergence of advanced technologies by establishing research centres, fostering and enabling collaborative communities, and advancing skills and economic growth in large-scale programs.
Artificial intelligence and quantum computing have the potential to revolutionise everything from the way we travel to the way we shop,saidSolloway.
They are exactly the kind of fields I want the UK to be leading in, and this new centre in theNorth Westis a big step towards that.
Thanks to this fantastic new partnership with IBM, British businesses will have access to the kind of infrastructure and expertise that will help them boost innovation and grow the economy.
The HNCDI programme will support several industry projects to accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies with UK companies of various sizes.
HNCDI will enable the UK to develop the skills, knowledge and technical capability required to adopt emerging digital technologies, seeding the UK with new ideas and innovative solutions, said Professor Mark Thomson, Executive Chair of STFC Hartree Centre.
The programme has transformative potential to generate long-term GVA for the economy by embedding AI solutions across the UK industry.
We are applying knowledge from the UKs strong fundamental research base to develop tools and techniques that address identified industry and public sector needs, improving economic and societal outcomes.
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$100 Million to Advance Duke Science and Technology Research – Duke Today
Posted: at 3:12 am
The Duke Endowment of Charlotte, N.C., is supporting Duke Universitys efforts to expand its faculty in computation, materials science and the resilience of the body and brain by completing the second phase of a $100 million investment.
This is the largest award Duke University has ever received. Advancing Science and Technology
Better designs to capture the full potential of carbon-neutral energy. Harnessing the brain's resilience to fight Alzheimer's Disease. Developing Develop cybersecurity tools to defend us from future threats. Read about these and other investments Duke is making in science and technology research and teaching.
The funds form the base of Duke Science and Technology, a faculty-hiring and fund-raising effort designed to elevate excellence in the sciences at Duke. They will be used to accelerate and expand the recruitment of new faculty in science, medicine, technology, engineering and mathematics. The funds will also expand core research strengths that allow Duke faculty to address difficult global challenges and prepare Duke students to be the leaders of the future.
This extraordinary gift from The Duke Endowment advances our universitys position as a destination for exceptional and visionary faculty in a competitive global market, said Duke President Vincent E. Price. These scholars will accelerate discovery and collaborative research across our campus and around the world. Dukes next century will be one of unbounded intellectual curiosity in which uniquely talented and creative scientists come together in new ways to ask the most difficult questions and try to tackle the most critical challenges of our day.
The first $50 million of The Duke Endowments historic commitment to support Duke Science and Technology was announced in 2019.
Minor Shaw, chair of the Endowments Board of Trustees, said The Duke Endowments founder, James B. Duke, was a visionary leader in business and philanthropy who seized opportunities to experiment and innovate. Advancements in science and technology will transform our world, Shaw said. By investing in the next generation of faculty at Duke, we can achieve a better future for us all.
The funding comes at a time when Duke is placing big bets on emerging technologies like quantum computing and addressing global challenges such as climate change and pandemic disease.
The faculty we are able to recruit thanks to this investment from The Duke Endowment have enormous quality and potential, said Provost Sally Kornbluth, the universitys chief academic officer. We are confident that their work will result in increased impact, elevate Duke to new levels of scientific discovery and improve health outcomes for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond. We want to continue to build on this success.
In the two years since the university announced the first half of this $100 million award, the Duke Endowments investment has been used to recruit and retain some of the countrys leading scholar-scientists in a range of disciplines.
At Duke, we are redefining what is possible in preventing and treating a range of health conditions from cancer, brain disorders and infectious diseases to behavioral health issues, said A. Eugene Washington, M.D., chancellor for health affairs and president and chief executive officer of the Duke University Health System. This generous gift ensures that our exceptional research community will continue to thrive with the very best scientists who value collaboration and interdisciplinarity, and drive bold ideas."
Duke will continue a targeted effort to recruit scientist-scholars at all levels in its strategic areas. The hiring effort is expected to continue over the next few years.
--- --- ---
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $4 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
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Researchers may have sequenced the final unknown of the human genome – PBS NewsHour
Posted: at 3:11 am
An international team of scientists says it has sequenced and assembled the entirety of the human genome, including parts that were missed in the sequencing of the first human genome two decades ago.
The claim, if confirmed, surpasses the achievement laid out by leaders from the Human Genome Project and Celera Genomics on the White House lawn in 2000, when they announced the sequencing of the first draft human genome. That historic draft, and subsequent human DNA sequences, have all missed about 8% of the genome.
The sequencing of the new genome fills in these gaps using new technology. It has different limitations, however, including the type of cell line that the researchers used in order to speed up their effort.
The work was detailed May 27 in a pre-print, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Youre just trying to dig into this final unknown of the human genome, said Karen Miga, a researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who co-led the international consortium that created the sequence. Its just never been done before and the reason it hasnt been done before is because its hard.
Miga emphasized that she wont consider the announcement official until the paper is peer-reviewed and published in a medical journal.
READ MORE: Psst, the human genome was never completely sequenced. Some scientists say it should be
The new genome is a leap forward, researchers say, that was made possible by new DNA sequencing technologies developed by two private sector companies: Pacific Biosciences of Menlo Park, Calif., also known as PacBio, and Oxford Nanopore, of Oxford Science Park, U.K.. Their technologies for reading out DNA have very specific advantages over the tools that have long been considered researchers gold standards.
Ewan Birney, the deputy director general of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory called the result a technical tour de force. The original genome papers were carefully worded because they did not sequence every DNA molecule from one end to the other, he noted. What this group has done is show that they can do it end-to-end. Thats important for future research, he said, because it shows what is possible.
George Church, a Harvard biologist and sequencing pioneer, called the work very important. He said he likes to note in his talks that up until now no one has sequenced the entire genome of a vertebrate something that is no longer true, if the new work is confirmed.
One important and unanswered question: How important are these missing pieces of the human puzzle? The consortium said that it increased the number of DNA bases from 2.92 billion to 3.05 billion, a 4.5% increase. But the count of protein-coding genes increased by just 0.4%, to 19,969. That doesnt mean, researchers emphasized, that the work couldnt also lead to other new insights, including those related to how genes are regulated.
The DNA sequence used was not from a person, but from a hydatidiform mole, a growth in a womans uterus caused when sperm fertilized an egg that did not have a nucleus. This meant that it contained two copies of the same 23 chromosomes, instead of two differing sets of chromosomes, as normal human cells do.
The researchers chose these cells, which had been kept in a lab, because this made the computational effort of creating the DNA sequence simpler. The original draft genome created in 2003 also contained only 23 chromosomes, but as technologies for DNA sequencing have become cheaper and simpler, researchers have tended to sequence all 46 chromosomes.
Elaine Mardis, co-executive director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Childrens Hospital, worried that because these cell lines were kept in the lab, potentially mutating, the new genetic information may be largely the detritus that accumulates as a cell line is propagated over many years in culture.
Miga said that studies of the cell line had shown it to be similar to human cells, and that the researchers used cells that had been kept frozen, not propagated for many years. We went to great lengths in the preprints to demonstrate that these new sequences serve as biological reference for human genomes, Miga wrote in an email. She agreed the next step was for the group to try to sequence all 46 chromosomes, known as a diploid genome.
Why did it take 20 years for this last 8% of the genome to be sequenced, even as the cost of sequencing the rest of the genome dropped from $300 million to as little as $300? The answer has to do with the way DNA sequencing technologies work.
The current workhorse DNA sequencers, made by Illumina, take little fragments of DNA, decode them, and reassemble the resulting puzzle. This works fine for most of the genome, but not in areas where DNA code is the result of long repeating patterns. If a supercomputer only had small fragments, how could it assemble a DNA sequence that repeated AGAGAGA for bases upon bases? Thats what the missing 8% of the genome looked like.
READ MORE: At Illumina, the era of the genome has arrived. But what role will the company play?
Among these unmappable regions were one of the most recognizable structures in biology. If youve ever looked at chromosomes (think back to high school biology), they look like strings that have been knotted together. Those knots are centromeres, bundles of DNA that hold the chromosomes together. They play a key role in cell division. And they are full of repeats.
It was the centromeres, in fact, that drew Miga to want to see these missing regions.
Why are the regions that are so fundamental to life, so fundamental to how the cell operates, positioned over parts of our genome that are these giant seas of tandem repeats? she remembers asking as a grad student.
It was that question that led her, in discussion with Adam Phillippy, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, to propose starting their current initiative, called the Telomere 2 Telomere Consortium, after the telomeres, which are the ends of the chromosome, in 2019. They signed on Evan Eichler, a University of Washington biologist who had been worried about the missing parts of the genome for years, as a co-author.
The work was possible because the Oxford Nanopore and PacBio technologies do not cut the DNA up into tiny puzzle pieces. The Oxford Nanopore technology runs a DNA molecule through a tiny hole, resulting in a very long sequence. The PacBio tech uses lasers to examine the same sequence of DNA again and again, creating a readout that can be highly accurate. Both are more expensive than the existing Illumina technology.
The companies are in a heated race. For this project, the researchers say, the PacBio technologys accuracy proved invaluable, and they used Oxford Nanopore to finish up some areas. But Oxford Nanopore has already been promising new, more usable tech. In the here and now, PacBio has the advantage but its not clear how long theyll be able to keep it, said Michael Schatz, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University.
All the researchers spoke of a vision of the future where instead of using a single reference genome, they would assemble hundreds of different, complete genomes that are interlinked and ethnically diverse, and can be used as references. Miga is helping lead that work, as well. And this is just a step in that direction.
But until now, Schatz says, there have always been questions about what was missing. Now finally we have the right data, he said. We have the right technology.
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Researchers may have sequenced the final unknown of the human genome - PBS NewsHour
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Oldest livestock genome reveals origin of today’s goats – Science Magazine
Posted: at 3:11 am
In the earliest stages of domestication, managed goats looked identical to their wild counterparts, the bezoar (pictured here).
By Michael PriceJun. 7, 2021 , 3:45 PM
Ancient hunters and farmers living in the foothills and valleys of western Irans verdant highlands may have been among the first people to domesticate livestock. Now, a new studywhich includes the oldest livestock genome yet sequencedbolsters that notion, appearing to capture genetic and archaeological evidence of a transitional stage between wild-hunted goats and their domesticated descendants.
The study has captured the ground zero for goat domestication, or close to it, says David MacHugh, an animal geneticist at University College Dublin. And because the advent of livestock domestication helped pave the way for larger populations and complex societies, he says, it is really one of the pivotal moments in prehistory.
Since the 1950s, archaeologists have unearthed ancient livestock bones near Irans Zagros Mountains. The area lies at the eastern end of the Fertile Crescent, the region considered the cradle of agriculture and several early civilizations. Animal remainssome of which date to about 10,000 years agoshow signs of domestication, such as smaller bodies and shorter horns. Evidence of early pig and sheep domestication has been found in the region, as well.
Researchers analyzed bones, like this leg bone, and ancient DNA from goats unearthed at two sites in western Iran.
Much of the archaeological research in the area halted because of the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s, and the Iran-Iraq War, which began in 1980. This region sort of fell into a dark abyss for quite a while, says Melinda Zeder, an emeritus archaeologist at the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History. Its now seeing a recent resurgence of interest in all sorts of domestication issues, with goats being a primary one.
To learn about the process of early animal domestication, Zeder and othersincluding several Iranian archaeologistsanalyzed goat bones excavated in the 1960s and 70s from two sites in the Zagros Mountains, Ganj Dareh and Tepe Abdul Hosein. People lived, hunted, and grew crops in these fertile valleys from about 8200 to 7600 B.C.E. The wild ancestor of todays domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), the bezoar (C. aegagrus), was their primary prey.
The pattern of male and female goat remains at these sites was the first clue that people were likely managing herds, not just hunting them. Hunters and herders target different kinds of animals, Zeder explains. Hunters are after the bang for your buck fast return, so they go for big adults. Herders, meanwhile, care less about individual size, focusing instead on keeping females alive to sustain and grow the herd, she says. As a result, herders tend to cull most young males and keep lots of older females.
Thats exactly the pattern the researchers saw at Ganj Dareh and Tepe Abdul Hosein: relatively few males and lots of older females. Hoof impressions imprinted in mud bricks at Ganj Dareh further strengthened the case that people here were managing goats, as wild goats probably werent tromping through the village. Strangely, though, these seemingly herded goats looked exactly like wild bezoars, with large bodies and horns. So, the researchers turned to ancient DNA.
Comparing the ancient goat DNA with that of modern wild goats from the region, the scientists found distinct genetic clusters indicating the apparently managed goats were being bred with one another, they report today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This confirms the herders maintained a goat population largely separate from the regions wild goats, Zeder says. The earliest of the goat remains date to about 8200 B.C.E., making the DNA in the study the oldest livestock genomes yet sequenced.
Within these early managed goats, the researchers identified the six major mitochondrial haplotypes, or sets of genes inherited along the female line, that are present in modern domestic goat populations. That find suggests todays goats are direct descendants of those that lived 10,000 years ago, Zeder says. Within the genomes of these ancient goats, the researchers also identified a genetic variant called STIM1-RRM1 that is known in other domestic animals to help reduce anxiety and promote learning.
The upshot, Zeder says, is that these ancient goats appear to represent a critical moment in domestication in which people were managing herds but hadnt yet selected for the physical traits that youd recognize at the petting zoo.
This is a fascinating study, says Cheryl Makarewicz, an archaeozoologist at the University of Kiel who wasnt involved with the work. The results suggest the earliest livestock herders tinkered with management strategies before they succeeded in domesticating their animals, she adds. There was a lot of experimentation going on.
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The More Social the Shrimp, the Larger Its Genome – Technology Networks
Posted: at 3:10 am
A team of researchers from Columbia University has found that eusocial snapping shrimp possess larger genomes compared to their less-social relatives. The larger genome comprises an accumulation of transposable elements moving DNA sequences providing new insights on the relationship between social and genome evolution. The research is published in PNAS.1
Rubenstein, a professor of ecology, evolution and environmental biology, is particularly interested in the Synalpheus genus of snapping shrimp, as it contains the only known aquatic eusocial species.
If an organism is eusocial, it demonstrates advanced social behaviors including: living together in groups, cooperating to take care of offspring, division of labor and overlap of generations such that younger populations can assist older generations. It is a phenomenon that is well recognized and studied in certain species of insects, such as ants.
Rubenstein and team serendipitously discovered that the shrimp possess another interesting characteristic: the size of their genome varies dramatically and appears to be related to their social organization. This contradicts what is known about eusociality in the insect world. Genomic studies have demonstrated that eusocial insects typically have smaller genomes than their less-social relatives.
Transposable elements are sometimes referred to as "jumping genes" they are DNA sequences that move within the genome. This movement can create and/or reverse mutations that alter a cell's genetic identity, thereby contributing to evolution.
"We developed a method for extracting information about transposable elements from low coverage sequencing data. This approach allowed us to compare large numbers of shrimp species in an efficient and cost-effective manner without first having to sequence and assemble the genomes of every species," Rubenstein told Technology Networks.
"We found that eusocial species had more transposable elements in their genomes than non-eusocial species," he added. "We used evolutionary modeling to explore why such a relationship exists and found that they seem to accumulate in the genomes of eusocial species."
The researchers hypothesize that the increased transposable elements in the genome are due to the unique social organization of the shrimp. Being a eusocial species, the majority of the shrimp will never reproduce in their lifetime. The reduced effective population size means that it is difficult to "purge" transposable elements from the genome; consequently, they accumulate over time. "Interestingly, each eusocial species seems to accumulate a different type of transposable element in their genome," Rubenstein added.
The incredible size of the shrimp genomes posed a challenge for the researchers it precluded them from applying next-generation sequencing techniques to the entire shrimp genome, a method known as whole-genome sequencing, or WGS. "We developed a novel way to study transposable elements from limited amounts of sequence data," Rubenstein explained. As a next step, the team hope to go back and sequence the whole genome to gather even more data and learn as much as possible about the relationship between social evolution and genome evolution. They also intend to analyze in greater detail where the transposons occur to determine if they play a role in the evolution of eusociality. "We also hope to look at transposable elements in other social organisms, like birds and mammals, to see whether these same relationships hold in vertebrates," Rubenstein concluded.
Dustin Rubenstein was speaking to Molly Campbell, Science Writer for Technology Networks.
Reference: Chak STC, Harris SE, Hultgren KM, Jeffery NW, Rubenstein DR. Eusociality in snapping shrimps is associated with larger genomes and an accumulation of transposable elements. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2021;118(24):e2025051118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2025051118.
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The More Social the Shrimp, the Larger Its Genome - Technology Networks
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