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The Koala genome project reveals secrets about its diet based on toxic eucalyptus leaves.
The Koala is one of the most fascinating and iconic mammals in the world. This animal is not only synonymous with Australia, but also a powerful international symbol for the conservation of our natural world. An international team of scientists (54 scientists and 29 institutions from different countries) has successfully sequenced the koala genome: 3,400 million base pairs and more than 26,000 genes
Why is it important?
This endearing animal attracts millions of tourists every year, but the number of koalas in the wild is declining, from where the experts went to work to unravel their genome to find clues on how to save them, because some populations of koalas are less genetically
Unblocking the genome sequence gives scientists an unprecedented vision of the unique biology of the koala.
"The Koala Genome Consortium has been an ambitious journey that gives us a good understanding of the genetic components that make up a Koala, one of Australia's most iconic and charismatic mammals," says Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Australian Museum Research Institute.
The Koalas face a series of threats to their survival. In addition to the loss of their natural habitat since the arrival of Europeans, which severely reduces their genetic diversity, koalas may be daily crushed by vehicles or attacked by dogs, even in areas where they can prosper
. It has also allowed scientists to explore many interesting qualities of koalas, including how they manage to survive on a rather peculiar diet based on eucalyptus leaves (which contain deadly substances for d & # 39; other animals). "The koala has developed an excellent set of tools to manage the consumption of highly toxic eucalyptus leaves," says Will Nash of the Earlham Institute
. Experts have discovered that some genes related to the ability to eliminate toxins were expressed in many koala tissues, especially in the liver; which indicates that they have a very important function in detoxification.
The counterpoint is that, although this food niche was created for their prosperity, it has also made them vulnerable, since they no longer have any other home than the rainforests. eucalyptus, which is why the International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN) has included them as a vulnerable species because of the expansion of cities and the extension of cultures.
Source: Very interesting
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