National Geographic recently featured a story about a global project, started by Canadian evolutionary biologist Paul Hebert, to “barcode” all known species.
Barcodes are derived from the CO1 gene that produces ATP, an energy carrying molecule found in every multicellular organism on earth. The barcodes are made up of sequences of 4 colors, one for each of the DNA bases (G,T,C and A, you all remember Gattaca, right?) that make up the unique 600+ character chain of the portion of the CO1 gene that Hebert selected for its commonality.
Some scientists are concerned that the project, which has earned the support of the UN as part of the 2010 year of biodiversity, will draw scarce resources away from the more pressing concern of finding and describing unknown species.
It is just as important to give scientists studying biodiversity in shrinking ecosystems quick and easy ways to identify species genetically. This is especially crucial in rainforests and other biodiversity hotspots where thousands of similar critters all represent unique evolutionary pathways. And the potential commercial applications of this technology (for tracking shipments of food, in exotic animal trade, etc.) mean much of the cost of developing field technology that will enable research will be picked up by companies, rather than foundations or governments (at least theoretically).
Monsanto executives have got to be practically drooling over a hand-held species barcode reader. The faster and easier it is for them to identify their proprietary genetic material in the field, the simpler it’ll be for them to punish farmers who “steal” their Roundup ready GE seed.
Of course, the really important thing coming out of all of this is the iPhone or Android app that will scan the genetic barcode of that fish on your plate, or the bird in the cage at the petstore. You’ll never buy a cod or cockatoo by mistake again.
Louis Wertz 