Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Tasmanian tigers were in 'bad genetic shape' long before extinction, DNA analysis shows







Tasmanian Tigers were in poor genetic long before human drove them into extinction. A new DNA study  shows how and why. Biologist began by starting with the source, the genetic history the Tasmanian tiger. The biologist then extracted and analyzed the DNA of a pup that has been perceived for more than  a  century. The genome reported as one of the DNA of any extinct animal. It was not easy for the biologist to piece this together for DNA has a habit for falling apart.  
The preserved DNA of the pup  was stored in ethanol reasons why it did not degrade as much as other preserving fluids. From the analysis  of the genome it showed that even before  the human arrived  there was  lack of variation in the genetic  of those Tasmanian tigers. When it comes to evolution genetic variation and diversity plays a very important role in a specie;s survival Since there was a lack of variation the tigers declined in their history.  I found this article very interesting because I learned and always heard about how the lack of genetic variation leads to extinction but after reading this article I now have evidence that it is true, you need to be in a good genetic shape to evolve not go into a demography of an extinct animal.

2 comments:

  1. This makes me wonder about the how the genetic variation is in other animals in Australia and New Zealand. While I'm sure many of the smaller species are fine, how is the genetic variation of the Kangaroo? How related are they, as they have existed together for so long?

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  2. This seems to be the case for many other extinct or close to extinct species as well. The Sumatran rhino for example had its genome sequenced and evidence revealed that it was going extinct since the Pleistocene period due to climate change during that time.

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