Somatic Genome Research Advances in 2012

More than 100 papers on somatic genome research were published in scientific journals in 2012, with considerable research progress made: (a) identification of genes and pathways involved in human and animal somatic mutation diseases, (b) mechanisms and factors regulating somatic mutagenesis, (c) epigenetic and transcript involvement in somatic genome variation, (d) timing, tissue-specificity, and environmental effects on plant somatic genome variation, (e) basis and application of somaclonal variation, and (f) technologies in site-specific targeting/mutating genes in somatic cells. These somatic genome findings stimulated research interest in various scientific topics, including: the role of somatic genome variation in evolution, and genetic differences between cancerous and non-cancerous tumors/overgrowths.  Highlights of somatic genome research in 2012 will be described and discussed.