ONE NEWS

Monday, December 14, 2009 BEIJING: A detailed genome map of the giant panda completed by Chinese scientists has shown that the notoriously shy animal is genetically similar to the dog, state media reported Sunday.Scientists from the Beijing Genomics Institute finished sequencing the giant panda genome in October last year but a detailed genome map was only recently completed, a local news agency said."The research found there is a high genomic similarity between giant panda and dog," the report said, but added that the research also supported the view of most scientists that the giant panda may be a subspecies of the bear family.The detailed mapping showed that the giant panda has 21 pairs of chromosomes and more than 20,000 genes, the news agency said.The research is expected to provide scientific support for the conservation, disease prevention and artificial propagation of the endangered giant panda, researchers have said."We hope the genome map could help geneticall...