Assistant Professor Takushi Hayakawa of the Wildlife Science (Nagoya Railroad) Endowed Research Division, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, participated in the "Koala Genome Consortium" led by the Australian Museum and succeeded in decoding the entire genome of koalas.
The adorable-looking koala is a marsupial family that grows in the bag of the mother's stomach.He spends most of his life on trees and specializes in toxic eucalyptus leaves.Koalas are popular in both Australia and Japan, but are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and epidemics of infectious diseases.
This time, the international group has deciphered the entire genome sequence of koalas in order to understand and preserve the ecology of koalas.It was known that koalas decompose toxic eucalyptus by intestinal bacteria, but as a result of analyzing the koala genome, another gene called bitter taste receptor (TAS2R), which perceives poison in food as a bitter taste, is present. It turned out that I have more than bags.In addition, the olfactory receptor (V1R) and detoxification metabolizing enzyme (CYP) are also characteristic, and koalas have evolved the taste and smell that distinguish edible eucalyptus and the enzyme that can detoxify even after ingestion at the genomic level. It was revealed.
This time, we succeeded in a comprehensive analysis of the genetic background that supports the unique ecology and evolution of koalas.Based on this discovery, it is expected that future studies on how koala genes adapted to eucalyptus actually respond to eucalyptus venom will help the welfare and reproduction of koalas.
Paper information:[Nature Genetics] Adaptation and conservation insights from the koala genome
