Do we have fluorescence genes? - genes which code for fluoscent proteins (Oct/08/2008 )
I read somewhere that we have them but they are switched off. the article said that we are still carrying the genes of our ancestors. like the hair genes of our primate ancestors that are switched off in our skin cells now.
anybody know any fluorescence gene sequence from firefly or whatever that I can search on the human genome at NCBI? 
anybody know any fluorescence gene sequence from firefly or whatever that I can search on the human genome at NCBI?
We may have, but I doubt it, fluorescence is typically a fairly rare phenomenon and I would suspect the sort of trait that emerges fairly late in evolutionary history. You could try searching for GFP sequence on NCBI, and then BLAST it against the human genome.
oh yeah,GFP would do....and yes it must have emerged later during evolution, but who knows we might still have something even in the non-coding sequences cuz i never believed those sequences are junk.
It would be so cool to be able to glow anyway! 
Did you know that infact this year's Nobel prize was awarded to people who discovered GFP?
I BLASTed this sequence, but didn't give any reasonable result:
1 atgagtaaag gagaagaact tttcactgga gtggtcccag ttcttgttga attagatggc
61 gatgttaatg ggcaaaaatt ctctgtcagt ggagagggtg aaggtgatgc aacatacgga
121 aaacttaccc ttaattttat ttgcactact gggaagctac ctgttccatg gccaacactt
181 gtcactactt tctcttatgg tgttcaatgc ttctcaagat acccagatca tatgaaacag
241 catgactttt tcaagagtgc catgcccgaa ggttatgtac aggaaagaac tatattttac
301 aaagatgacg ggaactacaa gacacgtgct gaagtcaagt ttgaaggtga tacccttgtt
361 aatagaatcg agttaaaagg tattgatttt aaagaagatg gaaacattct tggacacaaa
421 atggaataca actataactc acataatgta tacatcatgg gagacaaacc aaagaatggc
481 atcaaagtta acttcaaaat tagacacaac attaaagatg gaagcgttca attagcagac
541 cattatcaac aaaatactcc aattggcgat ggccctgtcc ttttaccaga caaccattac
601 ctgtccacac aatctgccct ttccaaagat cccaacgaaa agagagatca catgatcctt
661 cttgagtttg taacagctgc taggattaca catggcatgg atgaactata caaa
Perhaps we have firefly-luciferase genes? If I remember right the phylogenetic distance between insects and primates is not so wide compared to jellyfish and primates. 
I though about that too so I BLASTed a luciferase sequence from my plasmids, ...it gave me 4 results corresponding to Chromosome 16 alpha globulin gene....I'm confused to be honest, is this gene inserted into the plasmid by the manufacturer? if so why do they insert this gene to plasmids?
I though about that too so I BLASTed a luciferase sequence from my plasmids, ...it gave me 4 results corresponding to Chromosome 16 alpha globulin gene....I'm confused to be honest, is this gene inserted into the plasmid by the manufacturer? if so why do they insert this gene to plasmids?
The sequence for jellyfish GFP is below. There are no matches to human with MegaBLAST or blastx against human proteins.
The complete cds of luciferase from firefly is AB220162. This has some very small similarity in blastx to some proteins in human. No hits to the genome in megablast. The reason for the protein matches is likley because luciferase has a domainsimilar to Acetyl-CoA synthase family of proteins.
Acetyl-CoA synthetases (AMP-forming)/AMP-acid ligases II [Lipid metabolism / Secondary metabolites biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism]
Since the enzyme binds ATP and produces AMP in the presence of Ca+ I guess this is expected this.
>gi|155662|gb|M62654.1|AEVGFPB Aequorea victoria green-fluorescent protein mRNA, complete cds
AAGCTTCAAATTAAGTCAGCTCCTTAAATGAAAGATAATAAAGTGTAGTTCAAGAACTATATGAATGATG
TGTTTTCAGATAACCAAAATGGGGAAAAACATGCTAAAGTCAGCATATTTTTGGAAAATTGATGACGTCA
TCATGACGTCGTTTTGATGACAAAACTTATTATAAGCGAATTCTTATATTTTTACAGGATAACAAAGATG
AGTAAAGGAGAAGAACTTTTCACTGGAGTTGTCCCAATTCTTGTTGAATTAGATGGTGATGTTAATGGGC
ACAAATTCTCTGTCAGTGGAGAGGGTGAAGGTGATGCAACATACGGAAAACTTACCCTTAAATTTATTTG
CACTACTGGAAAGCTACCTGTTCCATGGCCAACACTTGTCACTACTTTCTCTTATGGTGTTCAGTAAGTG
CATTTTATACTCTTTTAATATCAGTGTTAAGAAAATCAAGTGTCTTGCTATTTTTTCGATTATTGGTGCA
ATTCTAGTCAAATTATTGCGTTTTTTTACCCAAAATGTTAATGTAAAACTGAAATTTGGCACACTTGCGC
AAATATATACAGGGTATTTTGAAAAAATTAAACAGGATGATAAAAGTTGCACAGAAACTTATCTCAAGAT
TTACCCGCAGAAAGATGCTTNAAAAATTGATATTTGACAGAGCAAAACCTGAGATTCACGTCTTTTAGTT
GTTTGACTTGAAATTTTGGTGACAGGTAGGTATCATGAAAAACAAACAAAACGTAAAAATATCACGTGAT
TAAAGTGTATCTTACAGACCAGAAACAGTTTTATTAACTTCTATTATTCTATTTTGCAATATACACATTG
TATCAATTTCTTGAGTTACTCGAAGTAATACCGACCTATCATCAGAATTTCAAGTCAACACAACATTATA
TGGGGCTGATTAGGGAATGATTTTGTCTCTTTTAGATGCTTTTCAAGATACCCAGATCATATGAAACAGC
ATGACTTTTTCAAGAGTGCCATGCCCGAAGGTTATGTACAGGAAAGAACTATATTTTACAAAGATGACGG
GAACTACAAATCACGTGCTGAAGTCAAGTTTGAAGGTGATACCCTCGTTAATAGAATTGAGTTAAAAGGT
ATTGATTTTAAAGAAGATGGAAACATTCTTGGACACAAAATGGAATACAACTATAACTCACACAATGTAT
ACATCATGGCAGACAAACAAAAGAATGGAATCAAAGTTAACTTCAAAATTGTATGTATACGTTAAGGGCA
TAAATTTTTGCGGGCATAAAATCTTGCGAAATTTATTATCGCGAATAGGTTACGCAAAATCTATAATTAA
AATGTATTTTTTTCTGCTGATTTTCTAAATAACAACTCAACCCGTCATTTTTATATCGCAAAAATAAATT
CCGAAATAATTTATGCTCGCAAAAATTTAGGCCCATAAGTAGACTTTTGATATCTGCGTGCTCTGCAATG
AAGTAAAAATACGATATTTTCATTGAAATACACGGGTTCAAAGTTATTTGTTAATTCAATAAGCGTGCGC
AGAAATTAAAGGACGTATAAAGATACGAACACATCAAACCATTCATGCGTAAATAATGTTCTATTTTTAA
AATTCACCAAAGCTTAAATATTCTTAAGAATTATTCATGTGCCATGGGAGCAACAATATAGTTATGGACA
AAAATTTCTGAGTTCACTTTTATTTCTGCGCGCCCGCATCAAAGTTCAAACAACTGTGAACCCGAGTTTT
TTCCAGCTTGCAATTTTAATAAGAGACAAAAAGCAAATTGCAGTTCAAGAAAATCGAGATATTGCCAGAT
GTAAACATTTAATAAGAGACAAAAAGTTCATAAGCGTTCTAAAGAACAGCAACAAAATAATAATTAGAAT
TAAACGAGTTCTCAAACAAAATAAAAACTGAAGTCAAAGAGTCAGTAAGGAATTTAGTTAACGATGCTTT
ATAATCAAAGTTTTAATTCCAGTTCATGTATGCAATTAACAATAAGATCTTGGAGAATTGAATATGTTTC
GAAATTTTATAAATTCGGATTTAATTTCTAAAGTTGTGTATCAAAAATAGTTCAAACTATTTTCATGAAA
AGATGATAAATTACGGTAATAAGTATATAATATAATCAATTAAAATTAATTTTAGGCTCAAATTACAGAA
TCCACGTTTTTTTTCTCTAGACATAGCACAGTGTTTAGATGTTTGTTTTATTTCATCCATCCTTATTACA
GTTTTCCTCTGAACTTTAATACTAGCGTACAATTTGAATAATAATCTGAAATGATTCAACTTTTCAGAGA
CACAACATTGAAGATGGAAGCGTTCAACTAGCAGACCATTATCAACAAAATACTCCAATTGGCGATGGCC
CTGTCCTTTTACCAGACAACCATTACCTGTCCACACAATCTGCCCTTTCCAAAGATCCCAACGAAAAGAG
AGATCACATGATCCTTCTTGAGTTTGTAACAGCTGCTGGGATTACACATGGCATGGATGAACTATACAAA
TAAATGTCCAGACTTCCAATTGACACTAAAGTGTCCGAACAATTACTAAAATCTCAGGGTTCCTGGTTAA
ATTCAGGCTGAGATATTATTTATATATTTATAGATTCATTAAAATTTTATGAATAATTTATTGATGTTAT
TAATAGGGGTTATTTTCTTATTAAATAGGCTACTGGAGTGCATTCCTAATTCTATATTAATTACAATTTG
ATTTGACTTGCTCAGAATCCCGCTTCATTGCTTTTCCACTTGCATTATCCTTATTTAGTATTAATTTGTA
TTTTGGTTTGGCTACATTGAGTGCAAAAAACCTAATTTTCGGACGAATTTTCGAACGAATTTTTTTGACG
GAATTTTCTTCATTCTATTTACTCCTCTAGCTAAATTATTTTACCTTTTTGTTAATTTGGTTAAATTATT
CTCTGAGCCGATGATTGAGAAATTAATGGATTAAAAGTGAGTACCTTACATGTTGTCAACTTGTAACGAA
TGGAAAAAGAAATTACGTTTCAAGAGTTTGAAAGGTAATACAGTTACAGTTAACCGCAGAAAAATTGCAT
GATGATTGATAAATTCGATTTTTGTTATCCTAAAATTTTCCAAACGTCAGTGGCCGACGACTTTATCAGG
GACTTCTAAAAGTGAAAAATAATCAGGTGCGGATTTCGAAGGCGCAAAACTATAGGAAGAGAGCGAAATG
TCATTAAATTATCATATTCTATTAACTGATGACAATAGATGATGAAAAGTTTATGATTATTCACTCTCCT
CCTGTAATTATGCGACCCTTCTAGATTCACGCCTGAAAGTATAGCTACCTGGGATGAAGTACTAGTCTGA
GGACTCTTCACCTAAAAATTAAATTCTTATAAGAGTAAACAAGAAACTTAGCAGTTACAAACGGGAGAGC
GATGAGAAACAAAAACAATTACGTTGCCACTATGAATATCGATGTTCAATCAATTTTGTTCCTTACTTAT
AAGAACGAGATCGTCTTAACTTAAAATAGTAAAATGTTATCAAGATAATAGCAATTTTTTACCGACACAG
CGAAGACTCACTACTGAAATGATCAGTTTTAATCAGGCAAATAATCCGTGGCACATAATAGTGACCGAAA
ATAATTAATCGGCATTAAGACTACCGAAATAATAATGTTTTTTCTACTGCGTATACGCGTGAGAAATTTT
CAATAAGCTCATCATCTTCAGCATAGTTATACTTTTATGTAAAGTATCAATTCCGACATAAAATAACGGC
TTATTATCGAAATAATAGCGTTTTCTCTACTCCATGCGCGTCAAAAGTTCTCTCTAGGCTCATCATCTTC
AGCATAATTATAATTTTTGTAAAGTACCAGTTCCGGTCGAAAATAATGACTAATTACCGAAATTATAGTG
TTTTTCTATTGCCATGCGCGTGAAAAATTTTGATTGAATCATCATCTTCAGCATAGGCATAATTCTTTGT
AAAATATCGATTCCGACATAAAATAATGGCCTATTACCGAAATAATCGCGTTTTTCCTACTGCGCATGCG
CGTCAAAAATTATATTTTTATTCATCATCTTCAGCATAATTATATTTTTTTGTAAAGTACCAGTTCCGGT
AGAAAATAATGACTTGTTACTGAAATAATAGCGTTTTTCTATTGCGCATGCGCTATAAAAATTAAAGTAA
CGTCATCATATTCAGCATGGTATTGAAATTTTCAAATTTAATTAACCTATTGAACAAGAATGTACACTTG
CATCAAAATAGGTGAAATTCGCCAATATCGCTAAATGTGACGCGCGGGAGCAATACTACGCATGTAGCTT
CAGGTAAAGCATGTAGAAACTCGGAGGAGTAGGAGTCCACCGTCGAAACTAAAACGGGATACACTACGCT
ATGGCCTTCGCTCTCCCGTAAAAAGGGACTAACAATACGACCTAATTGAAATACTAAAAAAAACAAGAGA
AATTTAACCCCTTTGTTAACACTTTTCAAAAGTGGGATTTTTTAGCCAACCATCTGGTATATATGGTTGC
TCATTTTATTATTATCTCTTTCTTTATTGTTGGTACAACGTAGTCAAAATACAAATTAGGTTAATAAAAA
GCAACATTATAATGTATAAAATCTAATTGTGTCTAATTACCGACAAATTTTACAGGAACAGTTTTCACCA
GACCGAGTCTTAATTTTAGTTTTAAAAGAAATTATGTTTCTACTGTTCTGACAATCTGAAGACAATTAGT
TCTAGTGTAACAATGCTCTGAATTGAATATATTCAGCAATATTTTGTTTGTAAGAATTGGATGAATGTAC
GAACCTTCAGCAGATTTATACCAAGTGTTAGATTTAACAAGATTTGCAAGCTGATGAGTTTCGAGAAAAT
TCAACATATCTGGATTTGAGGGTGGAACATTAAAATCTCCTAAGATAATAATTCTATCATAATTAGAATA
TAAATTATCAATGATGTCATTTAAGTGATCTAGAAAAATATTGATAGTAACAGTTGGATGTTTGTATATA
GAAATAGTAAGCCATCTATTTTTCCCAAATGCGAGTTCAAAAACCAAAATTGGATTCCTTCAAAGAAAAA
AGACATTAAGAAACTTGATGGAATCCCTTCTCGACTGTAAACAAGCAGTCTCTGGGATCC
thanks.