Cancer- and behavior-related genes are targeted by selection in the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 13;13(8):e0201838. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201838. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) is an aggressive cancer notorious for its rare etiology and its impact on Tasmanian devil populations. Two regions underlying an evolutionary response to this cancer were recently identified using genomic time-series pre- and post-DTFD arrival. Here, we support that DFTD shaped the genome of the Tasmanian devil in an even more extensive way than previously reported. We detected 97 signatures of selection, including 148 protein coding genes having a human orthologue, linked to DFTD. Most candidate genes are associated with cancer progression, and an important subset of candidate genes has additional influence on social behavior. This confirms the influence of cancer on the ecology and evolution of the Tasmanian devil. Our work also demonstrates the possibility to detect highly polygenic footprints of short-term selection in very small populations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal*
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Facial Neoplasms / genetics
  • Facial Neoplasms / psychology
  • Facial Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Marsupialia / genetics*
  • Marsupialia / psychology
  • Selection, Genetic*
  • Social Behavior*

Associated data

  • Dryad/10.5061/dryad.r60sv

Grants and funding

JNH was supported by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.