- WHY IT MATTERS: Project leader Richard Gibbs of Baylor College in Houston, Texas, says the sequencing of the macaque genome will help us better understand primate evolution and what makes us human.
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Scientists have sequenced the genome of the rhesus macaque monkey (Macaca mulatta), and compared it to the already sequenced chimpanzee and human genomes.
The analysis of the rhesus macaque monkey shows that it shares about 93 percent of its DNA with chimps and humans, but that the three species have some significant differences among their genes.
The macaque monkey is widely used for laboratory studies. Researchers say their work will enhance medical research in a wide range of areas, including HIV and neuroscience.
It will also advance scientists' understanding of primate evolution, and how humans are genetically different from our primate relatives.
