How Much DNA Do Humans Share With Cockroaches?
WouterScientists have been able to determine how much DNA humans share with cockroaches through a process called genome-wide association studies (GWAS). GWAS are studies that identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human genome and their distribution among human populations. Cockroaches are also similar to humans in behavior, including their ability to clean themselves after touching people.
To determine how much DNA humans and cockroaches share, scientists have had to map their genomes. While this process is expensive, the price of mapping genomes is dropping rapidly. The cockroach genome is about three times the size of a grasshopper genome and contains about 10,000 million base pairs. It contains around 15,000 genes and approximately 5 introns per gene. The human genome is approximately one billion base pairs long, which is equivalent to about 250 million letters.
The cockroach genome contains 20,000 genes, making it one of the largest insect genomes known. Many of the cockroach genes are found in families that function in chemoreception, immunity, and detoxification. This is an extensive repertoire of genes and proteins that enables the cockroach to withstand an environment with various chemicals.
Cockroaches are very resilient creatures. They are known to survive nuclear blasts, and it is believed that they will inherit the Earth if humans die. They are common in urban kitchens worldwide, and a new study of the American cockroach’s genome shows that certain genes are key to its evolutionary success.
