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Both rat and mouse as model organisms?

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Both rat and mouse as model organisms?

Postby poobear » Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:10 am

(Sorry if this thread is misplaced, I didnt really know where to put it)

I have heard that both rat and mouse are used as model organisms for molecular biologists. I dont know much about mouse and rat, for me they are so similar. Does anyone know why they are both used as model organisms, do they both have unique advantages for being model organisms?

Thanks
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Postby MrMistery » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:32 am

rat is bigger, has bigger organs - it's easier to work with rat organs and get cells to culture them from rat than mouse
Mouse has a sequenced genome with high resolution mapping, many many cell lines, many many inbred strains of medical relevance and otherwise that you can order and have shipped to you by FedEx.
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Postby jeffliyong » Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:17 am

we usually use mouse,because it's genome was sequenced.
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Postby JackBean » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:14 am

When was it's genome sequenced? Didn't you (or your older colleuges) use it before? Don't you think, that if rat was used more widespreadlly than mouse, it would be sequenced instead?
http://www.biolib.cz/en/main/

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Postby MrMistery » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:01 pm

the mouse genome was completed in 2002. its genome was sequences precisely because it was so widely used as a model organism, for many reasons, some of which i outlined above. but since its genome was sequenced and mapping many more things can be done: any gene can be accurately mutated by homologous recombination. It's awesome
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Re: Both rat and mouse as model organisms?

Postby zami'87. » Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:36 pm

Mouse Genome Informatics Database
http://www.informatics.jax.org/
Rat Genome Database
http://rgd.mcw.edu/

Good luck with investigating!
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Postby JackBean » Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:32 pm

Thanks, MaizeSequence is enough for me now :lol: I will spend there lot of time during Christmas... :( :)
http://www.biolib.cz/en/main/

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