Rutgers Scientists Help Create World's Largest Coral Gene Database
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - 11:20
in Biology & Nature
Coral reefs - stunning, critical habitats for an enormous array of prized fish and other species - have survived five major extinction events over the last 250 million years. Now, an international team of scientists led by Rutgers faculty has conducted the world's most comprehensive analysis of coral genes, focusing on how their evolution has allowed corals to interact with and adapt to the environment. A second study led by Rutgers researchers with colleagues at the University of Hawaii shows - for the first time - how stony corals create their hard skeletons, using proteins as key ingredients.