[Coral-List] Coral genome

[David Obura]

This discussion illustrates one thing the list is useful for.  As Craig
Downs said, they tried to get some input on species selection before, but
without much effect. Unless this discussion goes further than it has to
date, this input will also in the end be pretty minor.  It is not a matter
of diluting current efforts for personal favourites, but pursuing a
productive dialogue on the pros and cons of different species/models.  But
this has gone as far as is useful in totally open forum.

The next step, to my mind, would be for the originators of the discussion to
take it off-list with the various people who have taken time to respond. Try
and get some consensus from the laboratory and field people on balancing the
criteria, and come up with one or two sets of corals from which further
genome work can proceed.  And also, of course, select the Œbest¹ species for
now and endorse their current proposal.  This group can also (and this would
be much stronger than individual letters), endorse the proposal to the
funders to at least start with something. Meanwhile, the
recommendations/findings of the group can be reported back to the list, and
from additional responses to that, a core group of genome researchers may
have identified themselves and start their own networking process.

Some discussions on the list do peter out in acrimony (which this one is now
tending towards), but this one is focussed and could be very productive.

Sincerely,

David Obura