Leucoraja erinacea genome sequencing project

The little skate, Leucoraja erinacea, is a member of the most primitive surviving clade of jawed vertebrates and provides unique insight into the origin and evolution of many fundamental vertebrate characteristics. Chondrichthyans have a neural crest, jaws and teeth, an adaptive immune system and a pressurized circulatory system. These characteristics have been exploited to promote significant understanding about human physiology, immunology stem cell and cancer biology, regeneration, pharmacology, toxicology and neurobiology.