Research on domesticated animals has important socio-economic impacts, including underpinning improvements in the livestock sector, contributions to medical research, animal health and welfare, the evolution of domestication and the understanding of natural animal populations.
Whilst progress has been made with the identification of genome sequences, which determines the proteins encoded by farm and domseticated animal genomes, there is little information on the sequences that are transcribed but not coding, and in particular sequences that regulate gene expression. Thus, although the genomes of the major domesticated animal species have been sequenced, significant investment is now required in order to identify the functional elements within these genomes, especially the regulatory sequences.
The recently launched “Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes” (FAANG) initiative aims to improve the functional annotation of animal genomes. This FAANG – Europe COST Action will facilitate the aims of the FAANG project through coordination, development of agreed standards for experiments, data and metadata, training and dissemination of standards and results.
genomes - functional annotation - farmed and domesticated animals - epigenetics - gene regulation
