Ancient genes may explain modern threat to Tasmanian devils
Researchers at the and the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide have discovered that Tasmanian devils had low immune gene diversity for hundreds, and possibly thousands, of years before the emergence of Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
The study, published today in the journal Biology letters, involves Environment Institute member from the . The study was led by from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science and also involved senior author Katrina Morris, a PhD candidate at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney.
"It is well known that low genetic diversity is a major extinction risk factor, but when and how devils lost their immune diversity has remained a mystery until now," said senior author Katrina Morris, a PhD candidate at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney.
[caption id="attachment_4721" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr Jeremy Austin from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Centre for Ancient DNA[/caption]
"Devils once lived across much of mainland ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, but became extinct sometime in the last few thousand years," said Dr Jeremy Austin, from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Centre for Ancient DNA.
"We looked at subfossil bones of these extinct mainland devils, as well as museum specimens of Tasmanian devils collected over the last 200 years. They capture the genetic diversity of the past allowing us to see how the immune gene diversity has changed over thousands of years."
The research was supported by funding from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Research Council, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Foundation and Zoos SA.
on the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney's website to find out more.
The study, published today in the journal Biology letters, involves Environment Institute member from the . The study was led by from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science and also involved senior author Katrina Morris, a PhD candidate at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney.
"It is well known that low genetic diversity is a major extinction risk factor, but when and how devils lost their immune diversity has remained a mystery until now," said senior author Katrina Morris, a PhD candidate at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney.
[caption id="attachment_4721" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr Jeremy Austin from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Centre for Ancient DNA[/caption]
"Devils once lived across much of mainland ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, but became extinct sometime in the last few thousand years," said Dr Jeremy Austin, from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Centre for Ancient DNA.
"We looked at subfossil bones of these extinct mainland devils, as well as museum specimens of Tasmanian devils collected over the last 200 years. They capture the genetic diversity of the past allowing us to see how the immune gene diversity has changed over thousands of years."
The research was supported by funding from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Research Council, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Foundation and Zoos SA.
on the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Sydney's website to find out more.
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