1 protein to rule them all – why crowning the protein that makes jellyfish glow green as a model can help scientists streamline biology

Researchers have been studying tens of thousands of proteins and even more variations without a yardstick to compare their results.

By: Marc Zimmer, Connecticut College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 24, 2026

Words: 932

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 2 days ago

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By Marc Zimmer, Connecticut College

Fruit flies, mice, zebra fish, yeast and the tiny worm C. elegans are model organisms that have carried modern biology on their backs.

Scientists did not choose them for their charisma. They were chosen because their similarities illuminate biological principles across many species. Their biology is simple enough for researchers to master yet deep enough to keep delivering new insights centuries later.

But biologists don’t have a common reference …

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