Why Anyone Would Want to Map the Genome of a Pig

Another one bites the dust! Today's issue of Scientific Computing Newswire broke the news that an international team of scientists has finally mapped the genome of the domestic pig. While thousands of fans of both genome mapping and domestic pigs have been waiting with 'bated (and some with baited) breath for this momentous breakthrough, some readers of this blog might greet this news with a resounding "Ho-hum."

Why would anyone have any interest in a map of Porky's genome, or, for that matter, that of any of the roughly two dozen mammalian species whose genomes have been mapped in addition to people?

There are actually a number of good reasons. The excuse given in the article for picking on the poor pig is that medical researchers use domestic pigs as analogs for humans when studying a number of diseases. "The pig is the ideal animal to look at lifestyle and health issues in the United States," said Larry Schook, a University of Illinois in Champaign biomedical science professor who led the DNA sequencing project. The Scientific Computing article says that scientists rely on pigs to study everything from obesity and heart disease to skin disorders.

Of course, the author also gave a nod to the mass-media H1N1 frenzy by speculating that it might help veterinarians come up with a vaccine to keep Porky from getting swine flu. You wouldn't want your favorite pig coming down with swine flu, now would you? It's bad enough that your parakeet died of avian flu, after your local river suffered a bout of west nile virus. These pandemics can be such a pain in the butt!

Anyway, the real reason we applaud mapping of Porky's genome is that the more we know about the genetic makeups of different species, the better we understand life science in general. Genomics has revolutionized a vast array of disciplines, from anthropology to zoology. Like all pure science endeavors, genomics provides insights that improve our understanding of issues far beyond what might be anticipated. Unlike many pure sciences, however, genomics results have often found immediate applications. Within months of cracking the human genetic code, for example, researchers had developed biochips capable of inexpensively screening for an array of genetic disorders.

So, while it's easy to make fun of mapping the domestic pig's genome, it really is research that we should applaud, and, more importantly, support unstintingly. Not only will your pet pig thank you, but future generations of humans, who achieve better health at lower cost will thank you as well.