Rapid evolutionary response to a transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils

Brendan Epstein; Menna Jones; Rodrigo Hamede; Sarah Hendricks; Hamish McCallum; Elizabeth P. Murchison; Barbara Schönfeld; Cody Wiench; Paul Hohenlohe; Andrew Storfer

doi:10.1038/ncomms12684

Nature Communications (Aug 2016)

Rapid evolutionary response to a transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils

Brendan Epstein,
Menna Jones,
Rodrigo Hamede,
Sarah Hendricks,
Hamish McCallum,
Elizabeth P. Murchison,
Barbara Schönfeld,
Cody Wiench,
Paul Hohenlohe,
Andrew Storfer

Affiliations

Brendan Epstein: School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
Menna Jones: School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
Rodrigo Hamede: School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
Sarah Hendricks: Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, University of Idaho
Hamish McCallum: School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan Campus
Elizabeth P. Murchison: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge
Barbara Schönfeld: School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
Cody Wiench: Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, University of Idaho
Paul Hohenlohe: Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, University of Idaho
Andrew Storfer: School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12684
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

Read online

A recently emerged infectious cancer has caused the near extinction of the Tasmanian devil, but some populations persist. Here, Epstein et al. provide evidence for possible resistance via rapid evolution in two genomic regions that contain cancer-related immune response genes.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

About the journal