Proposal to Sequence the Genome of the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ) Submitted to NHGRI by the Zebra Finch

We enthusiastically advocate the zebra finch, a songbird, as a target of highest priority for whole genome sequencing. The zebra finch is an established research organism with particular relevance to human neuroscience and a proven track record of influential ground breaking discoveries that have informed human biology. Evolutionary considerations, such as distance from other sequenced genomes, and conserved and convergent functions, put the zebra finch in a unique position to inform human biology even more deeply. Zebra finches and other songbirds are well-observed by humans in both natural and domestic contexts, so their study contributes also to environmental and population biology. Full application of this powerful biological model to human biology has been hampered primarily by the lack of genetic/genomic tools. It is time to correct this deficiency. Sequence investment here will be rewarded in spades, by advancing a powerful model system that illuminates both basic biological processes and larger integrative issues (evolution, communication, environment) relevant to human health and disease. A collaborative, international group of capable and highly motivated investigators has come together to press this scientific agenda forward.