Elephant Genomes Reveal Accelerated Evolution in Mechanisms Underlying Disease Defenses.

ABSTRACT: Disease susceptibility and resistance are important factors for the conservation of endangered species, including elephants. We analyzed pathology data from 26 zoos and report that Asian elephants have increased neoplasia and malignancy prevalence compared with African bush elephants. This is consistent with observed higher susceptibility to tuberculosis and elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) in Asian elephants. To investigate genetic mechanisms underlying disease resistance, including differential responses between species, among other elephant traits, we sequenced multiple elephant genomes. We report a draft assembly for an Asian elephant, and defined 862 and 1,017 conserved potential regulatory elements in Asian and African bush elephants, respectively. In the genomes of both

SUBMITTER: Tollis M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8383897 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature