Joint Genome Institute Announces New Projects

There are many new sequencing projects that the JGI has announced. One caught my eye:

One metagenome project entails a sampling of the foregut of Opisthocomus hoazin—a leaf-eating Amazonian pheasant-like stinkbird, or hoatzin. A prehistoric relic, its unique fermentative organ harbors an impressive array of novel microbes, like that of cows and other ruminants. Instead of a rumen, stinkbirds possess a crop, an enlargement of the esophagus where the fermentation takes place—and the source of the stink. The characterization of its contents will likely lead to the identification of novel microbial enzymes that degrade plant cell walls.

How cool!