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The first complete koala genetic map has uncovered valuable new information about the famous marsupial that scientists say will support efforts to save them from extinction.
A consortium of 54 scientists from around the world the genetic blueprint that illuminates the marsupial diet as well as the population decline that it has suffered because of urbanization and disease.
Researchers say their findings could help work on a vaccine to protect koalas from one of their biggest killers. – Chlamydia – as well as help nature advocates protect their declining populations.
"In the same way that the human genome has revolutionized medicine for humans, to the point where you can sequence your genome and have your custom designed drug, then the idea is that it might be possible for koalas ", said lead researcher Prof Rebecca Johnson, of the Australian Museum.
A supercomputer at the University of NSW, scientists sequenced more than 20,000 koala genes and created a genome slightly larger than its human counterpart.
Their work revealed information on how the koala survives a diet of toxic eucalyptus leaves. the impact of chlamydia on their immune system, the protective properties of the mother's koala milk, the diversity of their population in different parts of Australia and their evolution.
The number of koalas plunged into the north of Australia.
Environmental advocates say that uneven spread is part of the problem in trying to manage the koala population, which is estimated at about 329,000.
Chlamydia can cause infertility among females, blindness and widespread retrovirus, an AIDS-like virus of which little is known.
Research found that many different types of retroviruses were inserted more than 100 times into the koala genome, and Johnson said the information could help scientists determine which forms of retroviruses were most in the koalas and why some were resistant to chlamydia – information that could "Vaccines for both are under development, which is very important because chlamydia is quite debilitating in some parts of the koala population", was -she says.
The study also revealed that koalas levels of a type of enzyme in their liver that allows them to survive on eucalyptus leaves toxic to most other animals.
Populations of Koalas in NSW and Queensland Us "This genetic diversity is conserved in concert with other conservation measures to protect habitat, reduce collisions with vehicles, dog attacks and diseases. , are the keys to the long history of genetic diversity. "
Johnson
The findings were published online by Nature Genetics on Tuesday.
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