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The Tiger Genome and Comparative Analysis with Lion and Snow Leopard Genomes
Nature Communications
  • Yun Sung Cho, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Li Hu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Haolong Hou, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Hang Lee, Seoul National University - Republic of Korea
  • Jiaohui Xu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Soowhan Kwon, Samsung Everland Zoo - Yongin, Republic of Korea
  • Sukhun Oh, Samsung Everland Zoo - Yongin, Republic of Korea
  • Hak-Min Kim, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Sungwoong Jho, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Sangsoo Kim, Soongsil University - Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Young-Ah Shin, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Byung Chul Kim, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea; Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Hyunmin Kim, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Chang-uk Kim, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Shu-Jin Luo, Peking University - China
  • Warren E. Johnson, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
  • Klaus-Peter Koepfli, St. Petersburg State University - Russia
  • A. Schmidt-Kunzel, Cheetah Conservation Fund - Namibia
  • Jason A. Turner, Global White Lion Protection Trust - South Africa
  • L. Marker, Cheetah Conservation Fund - Namibia
  • Cindy K. Harper, University of Pretoria - South Africa
  • Susan M. Miller, University of Pretoria - South Africa; Tshwane University of Technology - Pretoria, South Africa
  • Wilhelm Jacobs, Ukutula Lodge & Lion Centre - South Africa
  • Laura D. Bertola, Leiden University - The Netherlands
  • Tae Hyung Kim, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Sunghoon Lee, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea; Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Qian Zhou, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Hyun-Ju Jung, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Xiao Xu, Peking University - Beijing
  • Priyvrat Gadhvi, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Pengwei Xu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Yingqi Xiong, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Yadan Luo, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Shengkai Pan, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Caiyun Gou, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Xiuhui Chu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Jilin Zhang, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Sanyang Liu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Jing He, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Ying Chen, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Linfeng Yang, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Yulan Yang, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Jiaju He, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Sha Liu, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Junyi Wang, BGI-Shenzhen - China
  • Chul Hong Kim, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Hwanjong Kwak, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Jong-Soo Kim, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea
  • Seungwoo Hwang, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology - Republic of Korea
  • Junsu Ko, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea
  • Chang-Bae Kim, Sangmyung University - Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Sangtae Kim, Sungshin Women's University - Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Damdin Bayarlkhagva, National University of Mongolia
  • Woon Kee Paek, National Science Museum - Republic of Korea
  • Seong-Jin Kim, Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea; CHA University - Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Stephen J. O'Brien, St. Petersburg State University - Russia; Nova Southeastern University
  • Jun Wang, BGI-Shenzhen - China; University of Copenhagen - Denmark; King Abdulaziz University - Saudi Arabia
  • Jong Bhak, Genome Research Foundation - Republic of Korea; Theragen BiO Institute - Republic of Korea; Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology Nano Science and Technology - Republic of Korea; Seoul National University - Republic of Korea
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-17-2013
Abstract

Tigers and their close relatives (Panthera) are some of the world’s most endangered species. Here we report the de novo assembly of an Amur tiger whole-genome sequence as well as the genomic sequences of a white Bengal tiger, African lion, white African lion and snow leopard. Through comparative genetic analyses of these genomes, we find genetic signatures that may reflect molecular adaptations consistent with the big cats’ hypercarnivorous diet and muscle strength. We report a snow leopard-specific genetic determinant in EGLN1 (Met39>Lys39), which is likely to be associated with adaptation to high altitude. We also detect a TYR260G>A mutation likely responsible for the white lion coat colour. Tiger and cat genomes show similar repeat composition and an appreciably conserved synteny. Genomic data from the five big cats provide an invaluable resource for resolving easily identifiable phenotypes evident in very close, but distinct, species.

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©2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Additional Comments
Industrial Strategic Technology Development Program #: 10040231; National Research Foundation of Korea grant #: NRF-2011-0019745; South Korean Ministry of Science grant #s: 2012R1A1A2043851, NRF-2008-2004707; Russian Ministry of Science grant #: 11.G34.31.0068; GenBank accession #: ATCQ00000000
ORCID ID
0000-0001-7353-8301
ResearcherID
N-1726-2015
Citation Information
Yun Sung Cho, Li Hu, Haolong Hou, Hang Lee, et al.. "The Tiger Genome and Comparative Analysis with Lion and Snow Leopard Genomes" Nature Communications Vol. 4 Iss. 2433 (2013) p. 1 - 7 ISSN: 2041-1723
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/stephen-obrien/638/