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Pufferfish have smaller sized genomes compared
to other vertebrates. As a result their genomes are "mini" models for vertebrates. Typically, only
a small part of the genome comprise the genes. The genes are translated
into products responsible for the properties of living organisms.
Compared with other vertebrates, the puffer fish genomes have a higher proportion
of genes and a lower proportion of "junk DNA". Biologists have not defined
all the functional parts of the human genome, and the Fugu genome is proving
useful as a comparative tool to help find functional regions in human DNA.
Some of the junk DNA (ie., the DNA outside the
genes) have function, ie., "not all junk is rubbish". For example, some of these regions are known to
influence the rate at which genes become functional. The Fugu genome and its annotation can be probed to hunt for regions in the genome likely to be functional.
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