The publication of the first draft of the human genome five years ago marked the start of a new era of vertebrate comparative genomics. Genome draft sequences for chimpanzee, mouse, rat, dog, chicken as well as for several fish species are now available for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of vertebrate genomes over the last 450 million years. This volume of Genome Dynamics presents a timely update on the past, present and future of major vertebrate genome projects. In 16 chapters, renowned specialists provide informative reviews on the current status of mammalian, bird, amphibian and fish genomics. In addition, a chapter on urochordate genomes is included. The reader will also find a useful overview of resources available for each genome as well as a description of the medical and economical perspectives opened by the different projects. This book is recommended reading for biologists interested in genetics, genomics, evolution and zoology.