WHAT’S the difference between Stuart Little and William Shakespeare? Answer (to a very rough approximation): about 300 genes.
This week sees the official unveiling of the entire genome of the lab mouse, or at least a first draft of it. One feature of this genetic blueprint seems certain to hog the limelight: just how similar it is to our own (see “Of mice and men”). The crucial difference is you can experiment on mice in ways that would be wholly unethical and impractical with humans.
Want to know what a particular human gene does to, say, brain or fat…
