Koala genome sequence, a big step to preserve it – Science

This breakthrough could help protect this vulnerable animal whose population is greatly reduced.

"Koalas are under threat in Australia The genome sequence helped us to document and understand their genetic diversity and will serve the" Rebecca Johnson of the Australian Museum in Sydney, co-author of the. study, told AFP:

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Koalas are found in eastern and southeastern forests of Australia, as well as in some islands of the "continent". But the Australian icon, which some do not hesitate to call "national treasure", is the victim of the destruction of its habitat, climate change, unscrupulous drivers, dogs, and so on.

When the first British settlers arrived in 1788, the koalas were more than ten million. But, according to the Australian Koala Foundation, there are currently just over 43,000 in the wild, which means that this marsupial is "vulnerable" to the International Union for Conservation's Red List. of nature (IUCN).

"Excellent Toolbox"

More than 50 researchers from seven countries collaborated on this study published this Monday in the journal Nature Genetics. They discovered 26,558 genes, deciphering the marsupial genome "with an accuracy of 95.1%, which is comparable to what has been achieved with the human genome."

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A breakthrough that allows us to know a little more about the unique biology of this animal, endemic in Australia. Especially on "the excellent toolbox", a particular bademblage of genes, which allows it to digest (the leaves of) eucalyptus, which contains phenols (phenolic or phenyl, among other names) toxic for other animals. [19659002] The koala easily devours a kilogram of eucalyptus leaves a day (although he sleeps 20 hours a day by digesting them).

"This has probably helped to find a niche (food) to survive.This food source is almost without competition, since other species can not detoxify as effectively," says Rebecca Johnson

But this characteristic that can be considered as an advantage has its counterpart: this almost exclusive regime makes it particularly vulnerable the disappearance of eucalyptus forests, either by the intensification of deforestation and urban development

Researchers have also identified they ficaron genes related to their immune system.A step towards developing vaccines to fight against certain diseases, such as chlamydia (asymptomatic bacterial infection) that devastates the koala populations. There is currently no treatment for this badually transmitted disease, which can lead to blindness, infertility and death.

Moreover, human development invades the territory of koalas, which forces them to live closer and closer to each other. this increases the interaction between individuals and the risk of contamination.