Pubdate: Tue, 27 Dec 2016
Source: Daily Mail (UK)
Copyright: 2016 Associated Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/108
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Author: Cheyenne Macdonald

THE 3D INTERACTIVE MARIJUANA 'GALAXY' RESEARCHERS HOPE TO USE TO CREATE
SUPERSTRAINS OF THE DRUG

* Phylos Bioscience is attempting to map the genetic data for every
marijuana strain in the world

* The team has so far sequenced over a thousand different kinds, which
they plot on the interactive 'Galaxy'

* Genetic report reveals a strain's closest relatives, clonal
relationships, its uniqueness, origin, and more

* The researchers say this could one day help scientists to achieve
'unthinkable' strains of marijuana

Scientists may soon be able to achieve 'unthinkable' strains of marijuana
thanks to new efforts in DNA sequencing.

Spearheaded by former HIV researcher Mowgli Holmes, Phylos Bioscience is
attempting to map the genetic data for every strain in the world.

The team has so far sequenced over a thousand different kinds, and they've
plotted all the findings in a breathtaking 3-D representation of the
marijuana 'Galaxy.'

Use your mouse to drag the graphic and zoom in to reveal the many strains
in the 'Galaxy'

Researchers with Phylos far sequenced over a thousand different kinds, and
they've plotted all the findings in a breathtaking 3-D representation of
the marijuana 'Galaxy.'

WHY THEY DO IT

It's hoped that the efforts will ultimately lead to an extensive platform
for research on marijuana, according to Vocativ.

And, it could make for even better strains in the future.

The genetic report will provide understanding on the strain's closest
relatives, clonal relationships, its uniqueness, origin, and more.

It can also help breeders to protect themselves and their intellectual
property.

They're hoping to establish prior art for the strains that have been
collected, keeping the varieties in the public domain and protecting them
from patents.

The researchers with Phylos Bioscience have sequenced the DNA of samples
from all around the world, including rare and even ancient specimens from
Thailand, Colombia, and a dozen other countries, according to Vocativ.

Holmes and colleagues work with breeders and private collectors to gather
samples, and then, they analyze the order and makeup of the strain's DNA.

'We use the Next Generation Sequencing technology to read the genome of
your plant sample,' according to Phylos' website.

'We then carefully analyze its genetic relationship to every other sample
in our database -- from landacres to modern day varieties.'

According to the firm, the kits contain everything that's needed to
prepare a stem sample, so breeders and collectors can legally mail it into
the lab.

Then, it takes 2-4 weeks to get the results back.

So far, they've garnered what they say is the largest genomic database of
marijuana in the world.

But, there's still much more to be done.

The Phylos team can conduct plant sex tests to identify male and female
seedlings and determine the genetic identity, which can both be used to
transform traditional breeding, they say.

The researchers with Phylos Bioscience have sequenced the DNA of samples
from all around the world, including rare and even ancient specimens from
Thailand, Colombia, and a dozen other countries

It's hoped that the efforts will ultimately lead to an extensive platform
for research on marijuana, Vocativ reports.

And, it could make for even better strains in the future.

'When we understand this plant better we're going to be able to help
breeders make absolutely crazy, wild weed,' Holmes told Vocativ.

'There's going to be cannabis around that would be unthinkable today.'

According to Phylos, the genetic report will provide understanding on the
strain's closest relatives, clonal relationships, its uniqueness, origin,
and more.

This is updated as more strains are added to the database, which was
recently made open source through the Open Cannabis Project.

According to Phylos, the genetic report will provide understanding on the
strain's closest relatives, clonal relationships, its uniqueness, origin,
and more

It can also help breeders to protect themselves, the site explains, by
providing a certificate of authenticity.

And, it could help to protect breeders' intellectual property, Holmes
explained.

They're hoping to establish prior art for the strains that have been
collected, keeping the varieties in the public domain and protecting them
from patents, according to Vocativ.

'As plant scientists, that's what we care about,' Holmes told Vocativ.

'We want there to be crazy diversity. We want to preserve all the
outrageous diversity that's out there and we want people to make more.'
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