Sequencing the genome of the world’s most curious species

Insights from the mysterious tuatara genome pave the way for conservation and more inclusive genome research. A global team including researchers from the University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand), EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI; Hinxton, UK) and the Māori tribe Ngātiwai has sequenced the genome of a one-off – the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), a rare reptile endemic to New Zealand. The tuatara genome sheds light on the mysterious background of this ancient species and could help in its conservation. The tuatara looks like a lizard – yet it is the only survivor of the Sphenodontia, a once diverse reptile family....