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It might be possible to insert the ancestral version of the CFTR locus into mice to see what proteins are produced. The only way to know what this ancient DNA did is to bring it back to life. Haussler and his colleagues are analyzing CFTR loci from a total of 37 mammal species, and they are beginning to reconstruct the entire genome of the ancestral mammal. About 55 percent of the ancestral CFTR locus has been lost or altered in rodents.Дr. These changes were minor compared with the ones for other mammals. The researchers found, for example, that 25 percent of the ancestral CFTR locus has been lost or altered in humans. The analysis showed that this common ancestor had DNA much more like our own than some of its other descendants, judging by the reconstruction. Mutations of it have been linked to cystic fibrosis. The CFTR locus is named for one of the 10 genes it contains, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. The scientists then used the program to reconstruct the sequence of a large chunk of DNA called the CFTR locus, which has been sequenced in a wide range of mammals. 'We were all quite surprised in the great confidence you could have,' Dr. Other researchers familiar with the study agree. 'It was a pleasant and beautiful surprise,' Dr. From those mutated sequences, the program came up with its best estimate of the ancestral DNA.ДЄfter repeated trials, the scientists found that the program had a 98.5 percent accuracy rate - much higher than they had hoped.

They created mock sequences of ancestral DNA that they allowed to mutate along several evolutionary branches.

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By reversing those mutations, the program uncovers what the researchers believe is the original code.Д«efore they used the program to reconstruct the ancestral sequence, the scientists first carried out a series of statistical tests to see how confident they could be in their program. Instead of typographical errors, the computer program analyzed the mutations in the DNA of living mammals. The process is akin to comparing medieval manuscripts, each with its own set of typographical errors, to reconstruct the original text. Haussler and his colleagues created a computer program that could use the DNA sequences of living mammals to reconstruct the sequence of their common ancestor. Rasmus Nielsen, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Copenhagen who was not involved in the study.Дr. Unrelated individuals create what seem to be long-term relationships, with the same bats feeding each other on many different occasions.'It's exciting to say something about what this ancestor looked like,' said Dr. Vampire bats can starve to death in just three days if their hunting is unsuccessful and adult bats will regurgitate for each other. Females generally give birth to a single offspring each year and feed it milk for the first two months of life, introducing regurgitated blood alongside the milk when the infant is one month old, and taking it hunting when it reaches four months old.ДЄs well as infants, adult bats sometimes feed on regurgitated blood. Instead these bats tend to target the abundant herds of livestock in Central and South America, and cause problems for farmers by spreading disease. The batвЂ™s saliva contains a substance that turns clotted blood back to liquid again, giving it longer to feed, but it rarely kills its prey and is unlikely to feed from a human. The incisors are so sharp that the animal being fed from is unlikely to feel the bite. Rather than sucking blood, it makes an initial incision with its incisors and then laps up the blood.

The most famous aspect of the vampire batвЂ™s behaviour is of course its diet.

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