"#RIP Domestic dog 🐕 A GWAS of 6,000 dogs, the first consumer genomics study in any non-human species, found a 98.6kb DNA duplication near eye development gene ALX4 that explains the famous blue eyes of Siberian Huskies. One tiny copy change! #2026MMM #RIP journals.plos.org/plosgenetics...

A new cat coat color (“salmiak,” or salty licorice - yum!) isn’t due to a mutation in the gene KIT, but to a deletion of DNA next to it. Cats with this white hair pattern are missing ~95,000 bases .... maybe removing regulatory DNA that controls how KIT is used. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1111/age....

Is your golden retriever friendly because of its breed? Genetics says: not really. A citizen science study of 18,000+ dogs found breed explains only 9% of behavioral variation in individual dogs. Personality predates modern breeds by thousands of years. #2026MMM www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

White Stork keeps its antibiotic resistance genes to itself. No genetic similarity between stork gut bacteria and soil/food microbes—only water shows a strong match, changing the inferred transmission pathway. White stork: a sentinel, not a vector. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1128/spec...

Fecal genetics in White Stork reveals widespread antibiotic resistance. Because White Stork likes eating our trash? NO. No strong correlation with landfill feeding. Instead, exposure likely comes from other sources, like livestock pastures #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a deadly virus that infects carnivores. Weckworth et al. (2020) revealed that CDV outbreak in the Serengeti was caused by spillover from canids (incl. 🐕) and ultimately caused the lion population in the region to decline by 30%. doi.org/10.1111/mec.... #2026MMM

Semi-wild orangutans are more likely to be infected with nodular worms than free-ranging orangutans. This may be due to a decreased arboreal lifestyle, more soil contact, changes in diet, and overlapping ranges with other wildlife species and livestock #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Alu elements are DNA pieces that can copy and reinsert themselves. Orangutan genomes only show ~250 recent Alu insertions compared to 1000s in chimps and humans. This may explain why their genome structure is more stable and evolving more slowly than other great apes #2026MMM doi.org/10.1038/natu...

Cell lines are a useful genetic resource for species conservation and research. Researchers established cell cultures from skin samples of a hippo for the first time. Karyotypes from these cells showed 36 chromosomes, confirming the origin as a female common hippo. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1002/cbin...

Giraffe was thwarted this round and in fact, some geographic features may thwart interbreeding between giraffe (sub)species. Genome sequences from 78 giraffes from 13 countries in Africa suggest the Central African rainforest may be a key barrier #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.051

Giraffes have long necks and a long history of scientists debating their taxonomy! 1 species with 9 subspecies had generally been accepted, but whole genome data from 50 giraffes from all previously recognized subspecies support 4 species and 7 subspecies! #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.033

Genome analysis of 8 rhino species (extinct & living) show an overall decline in pop size in the past 2 million years. Although this low genetic diversity may be a long-term feature of the rhino family, it has likely been worsened by recent human-driven pop declines #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

Across 57 Arabian Oryx samples, only three MHC (gene involved in infectious disease resistance) alleles were observed. However, the 3 alleles are highly different from each other, which may help the oryx population recognize many different pathogens #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1111/j.00...

After a herd of Arabian oryx suffered an outbreak from an unknown agent, Coronavirus (CoV) particles were found in sick individuals. CoV particles were present in several tissues, including intestines and heart. This work could help treat infected herds. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1128/spec...

Around 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild and are scattered across South/South-East Asia in isolated populations. Whole genome data confirms 4 subspecies—Bornean, Sumatran, Mainland, and Sri Lankan—and suggests they began diverging 169,000-48,000 yrs ago. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1002/ece3.72019

Gorilla is gone and so is the “ghost” lineage that left its mark on 3% of eastern gorilla DNA! This archaic group split >3 mya from the ancestor of living gorillas. It has not been sampled directly--it was only detected via its DNA in eastern gorillas #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02145-2

In the last century, Grauer’s+mountain (⛰) gorillas (🦍) ⬇️ but ⛰🦍 now show signs of some recovery. 🦍 genomes today have ⬇️diversity, ⬆️inbreeding, + ⬆️costly mutations vs 100 yr old samples only in Grauer’s (not ⛰) 🦍, maybe b/c of ⛰🦍 recovery + longer-term past #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.055

Humpback whales (+ many other whales) have evolved large body sizes + long lives. Cancer should ⬆️ w/body size + age but whales do not suffer ⬆️ cancer risk. 212 genes in the humpback whale genome show evidence of positive selection, some of which may ⬇️ cancer #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msz099

#RIP Eurasian Eagle Owl 🦉 Owl feathers have comb-like serrated edges and a velvety surface that muffle air turbulence for near-silent flight. Nocturnal owls like Bubo bubo have more serrations than day-active owls of similar size. Super stealth! #2026MMM doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Eastern & western grey fox populations split ~800,000 years ago, making them more genetically distinct than most animal species that share a name. DNA from 378 foxes pinpoints where these ancient lineages still meet today: the Great Plains! #2026MMM doi.org/10.3389/fevo...

Owls are the only nocturnal raptors. A genome-wide scan across 11 owl species found positive selection on vision genes (e.g. dim-light detection) AND hearing genes (e.g. inner ear development) at the very origin of owls. Their DNA evolved to rule the night! #2026MMM academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...

Small but mighty survivors. House mice followed humans into Andes & survived even at high altitudes. Genomic data reveals a threshold effect: hypoxia-related genes show dramatic allele frequency changes in mice living @ highest elevations (~3800m/11,176 stoats) doi.org/10.1093/gene... #2026MMM #RIP

Dogs aren't the only ones who evolved to eat your leftovers. House mice, rats & pigs have MANY extra copies of the amylase gene that helps digest starch. Big clue about who has been eating our table scraps for 1000s of years. doi.org/10.7554/eLif... bsky.app/profile/cega... #2026MMM

Kasai et al. (2012) used chromosome painting to show extensive homology (70%!) between Nile Crocodile (2n = 32) & chicken (2n = 78) chromosomes (focusing on larger chromosomes) despite a common ancestor 230 MYA! doi.org/10.1159/0003... #2026MMM

Spectacled bear didn’t win but don’t worry, it will not be forgotten! Spectacled bears are unique in many ways relative to their bear cousins, incl. having 52 chromosomes vs. 74 in the American/Asian black bear, sun bear, sloth bear, brown bear, & polar bear! #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1159/000132455

Analysis of autosomal DNA from wild eastern gorilla feces reveals that the species split into the mountain gorilla and Grauer’s (aka eastern lowland) gorilla subspecies relatively recently at ~10,000 years ago, perhaps due to changes in forest distribution. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0811

The spectacled bear is the only extant bear in S. America! Autosomal+Y data suggest it diverged from its relatives the ursine bears (American + Asian black bear, sun bear, sloth bear, brown bear, polar bear) 5.9 mya—right before the Miocene➡️Pliocene transition. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msu186

Roan antelopes have a wide distribution across the savannas of Africa. Yet, microsatellites + mtDNA for 131 animals sampled from 70 locations across their range reveal there are five distinct genetic groups of roan antelope consistent with five subspecies. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14241

Female orangutans tend to stay near their birthplace while males travel long distances. This is reflected in their genetics: maternal mtDNA shows deep geographic structure while paternal Y chromosome DNA shows a mixing of the gene pool across regions. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/molb...

The genome of the roan antelope is 2.56 gigabases long with 42% of it made up of repetitive DNA, similar in size and composition to close relatives like the sable antelope whose genome is 2.60 gigabases in length and composed of 47% repetitive DNA. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab002