Researchers have sequenced the genome of the Tasmanian devil, the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, whose population is threatened by an infectious facial cancer.
Efforts to conserve the dwindling numbers of the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, have largely focused on maintaining a captive population of devils to be released into their natural habitat after the deadly cancer, which was first reported in 1996, has run its course in the wild.
To help improve the conservation efforts, Stephan C. Schuster and colleagues performed a whole genome analysis of two devils, named Cedric and Spirit, from northwest and southeast Tasmania-the farthest points on the Australian island-state.
In addition, the authors sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genomes from current and museum samples of devil tissues, and found that the current low genetic diversity among devils might have preceded the outbreak of the infectious cancer by at least a century.
According to the authors, the findings suggest that devils from across Tasmania must be included in a captive breeding program to preserve and boost their genetic diversity.
Such a genetically characterized breeding stock, they say, might help create hardier devils and enable the conservation of this endangered species.
Further, the genomic data could help explain the genetic basis of resistance to the facial cancer seen among some devils.
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via EurekAlert! [June 28, 2011]
Efforts to conserve the dwindling numbers of the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii, have largely focused on maintaining a captive population of devils to be released into their natural habitat after the deadly cancer, which was first reported in 1996, has run its course in the wild.
To help improve the conservation efforts, Stephan C. Schuster and colleagues performed a whole genome analysis of two devils, named Cedric and Spirit, from northwest and southeast Tasmania-the farthest points on the Australian island-state.
In addition, the authors sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genomes from current and museum samples of devil tissues, and found that the current low genetic diversity among devils might have preceded the outbreak of the infectious cancer by at least a century.
According to the authors, the findings suggest that devils from across Tasmania must be included in a captive breeding program to preserve and boost their genetic diversity.
Such a genetically characterized breeding stock, they say, might help create hardier devils and enable the conservation of this endangered species.
Further, the genomic data could help explain the genetic basis of resistance to the facial cancer seen among some devils.
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via EurekAlert! [June 28, 2011]