gh BAR CODE OF LIFE

The Consortium for the Barcode of Life unites 69 organizations from 31 countries: natural-science museums, zoological gardens and herbariums, research organizations, government agencies, foundations and biotechnological companies. The CBOL performs its activity based on the funds received from the foundations for grants. The Consortium' goal is to preserve biodiversity on the Earth. But prior to conservation we should know exactly what we have available, i.e. it is necessary to describe the diversity. Therefore, CBOL is creating a common methodical and information system, which will allow to describe all animal and plant species existing on the Earth (microorganisms are not taken into account) and to help in identification of newly discovered species. As of today, only 1.7 million plant and animal species have been described. The major part (almost half) falls on insects. It is not without reason that biologists say: "God likes beetles." However, according to the scientists' estimates, about 10 million species inhabit the Earth now. It means that more than 8 million still have to be described.

Traditionally, taxonomists describe the species verbally - how they look like, how they live and propagate themselves, etc. The Barcode of Life suggests a new approach. The idea is simple: to single out from the mitochondrial DNA of any species' representative a section standard for all living, to sequence it, i.e. to identify succession of nucleotides, and to enter the information into a respective database in the Internet. If an unusual plant is found and its bar code is identified, then it is necessary to compare it with the ones already available in the database. If divergence from the known code is less than 3 percent, then the plant can be attributed to the same species to which the bar code from the database belongs. If the discrepancy is noticeably higher than 3 percent, it makes sense to talk about a discovery of a new species.

Identification of the bar code, i.e. nucleotide succession - is now a standard enough procedure. To this end, devices for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and automated sequenators are required. Pocket mobile sequenators (resembling mobile phones) are expected soon in the market, which are very convenient in the field conditions. It is assumed that if you catch an unknown butterfly, you should tear off its tarsus and put it into the sequenator. In some time, the sequenator connected to the Internet database will advise whether the butterfly belongs to a new species or to a known one. We certainly feel sorry for the butterfly. But is should be noted for justice that previously dozens of insects would have been ground in a mortar to single out the DNA, but now, thanks to latest techniques, a tarsus is sufficient.

The Barcode of Life project is spreading actively all over the world. Now, taxonomists in Russia will also be engaged in bar-coding. This will primarily deal with endangered, rare, closely guarded and endemic species of plants and animals of Russia.

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