The dynamic genome of Hydra

Hydra, first described by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in a letter to the Royal Society in 1702, has been studied by biologists for centuries and now is an important model for work on axial patterning, stem cell biology and regeneration. Its genome, over half of which is made up of mobile elements, has now been sequenced, as has the genome of a Curvibacter sp. bacterium stably associated with Hydra magnipapillata. Comparisons of the Hydra genome with those of other animals provide insights into the evolution of epithelia, contractile tissues, developmentally regulated transcription factors, pluripotency genes and the neuromuscular junction, as well as the Spemann–Mangold organizer, the region in the early embryo that…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 0120591, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Awards: -AC02-05CH11231, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, 05CH11231, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, DE-AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02-
• GA
  Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
• AV
  Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• JG
  Joint Genome Institute

  Awards: DE-AC02-05CH11231, AC02-05CH11231
• TB
  Toyobo Biotechnology Foundation
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: SFB488, DE-AC02-05CH11231
• AS
  Austrian Science Fund

  Awards: DE-AC02-05CH11231, P20734, P16685
• NF
  Norges Forskningsråd

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231
• EE
  Exzellenzclusters Entzündungsforschung
• OO
  Office of Science

  Awards: AC02-05CH11231, -AC02-05CH11231, DE-AC02, No. DE-AC02-05CH11231, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231
• JS
  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
• NH
  National Human Genome Research Institute

  Award: DE-AC02-05CH11231