The Koala Who Could

Product Information

Hobbs, M. et al. Long-read genome sequence assembly provides insight into ongoing retroviral invasion of the koala germline. Sci. Rep. 7, 15838 (2017). Broad-scale population management of koalas is critical to conservation efforts. This is challenging because distribution models are not easily generalized across bioregions, and further complicated by the unique regional conservation issues described above. Since it is not possible to generalize management, it is imperative that decisions are informed by empirical data relevant to each bioregion. Pass, G. J., McLean, S., Stupans, I. & Davies, N. Microsomal metabolism of the terpene 1,8-cineole in the common brushtail possum ( Trichosurus vulpecula), koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus), rat and human. Xenobiotica 31, 205–221 (2001). A specialist arboreal folivore feeding almost exclusively from Eucalyptus spp., the koala has a diet that would be toxic or fatal to most other mammals 3. Due to the low caloric content of this diet, the koala rests and sleeps up to 22 h a day 4. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which koalas detoxify eucalyptus and protect their young in the pouch has been elusive, as there are no koala research colonies and access to milk and tissue samples is opportunistic. The genome enables unprecedented insights into the unique biology of the koala, without having to harm or disturb an animal of conservation concern.

The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright - Booktopia The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright - Booktopia

Jones, E. A., Cheng, Y., O’Meally, D. & Belov, K. Characterization of the antimicrobial peptide family defensins in the Tasmanian devil ( Sarcophilus harrisii), koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus), and tammar wallaby ( Macropus eugenii). Immunogenetics 69, 133–143 (2017).

In Fig. 3c, center lines indicate median and box limits indicate upper and lower quartiles. Upper whisker = min(max( x), Q_3 + 1.5 × IQR), lower whisker = max(min( x), Q_1 – 1.5 × IQR); i.e., upper whisker = upper quartile + 1.5 × box length, lower whisker = lower quartile – 1.5 × box length. Circles indicate outliers. Linear modeling indicated that mean F differed significantly between several regions (Midcoast New South Wales–Southern Australia, P = 0.000524; Queensland–Southern New South Wales, P = 0.00237; Queensland–Southern Australia, P = 0.00000107; Southeast Queensland–Southern Australia, P = 0.006596). Reporting Summary Koala genomes are undergoing genomic invasion by koala retrovirus (KoRV) 63, which is spreading from the north of the country to the south. Both endogenous (germline transmission) and exogenous (infectious ‘horizontal’ transmission) forms are extant 64. Our results provide a comprehensive view of KoRV insertions in the koala genome. We found a total of 73 insertions in the phaCin_unsw_4.1 assembly (Supplementary Table 22). It is likely that most of these 73 loci are endogenous, consistent with our observation of integration breakpoint sequences that are shared with one or both of the other koala genomes reported (Supplementary Tables 23 and 24). Koala reproduction is of particular interest because the koala is an induced ovulator 52, with key genes controlling female ovulation ( LHB, FSHB, ERR1, ERR2), as well as prostaglandin synthesis genes important in parturition and ejaculation ( PTGS1, PTGS2, PTGS3) ( Supplementary Note). We identified genes putatively involved in the induction of ovulation in the female by male seminal plasma ( NGF), and in coagulation of seminal fluid ( ODC1, SAT1, SAT2, SMOX, SRM, SMS) ( Supplementary Note), which may function to prevent sperm leakage from the female reproductive tract in this arboreal species. Genomic characterization of koala milk

The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright illustrated by Jim Field The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright illustrated by Jim Field

Warren, W. C. et al. Genome analysis of the platypus reveals unique signatures of evolution. Nature 453, 175–183 (2008). Nagaki, K. et al. Sequencing of a rice centromere uncovers active genes. Nat. Genet. 36, 138–145 (2004). Frankham, R. et al. Genetic Management of Fragmented Animal and Plant Populations (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2017). Foley, W. J. & Moore, B. D. Plant secondary metabolites and vertebrate herbivores–from physiological regulation to ecosystem function. Curr. Opin. Plant Biol. 8, 430–435 (2005). When an infant koala – called a joey– is born, it immediately climbs up to its mother’s pouch. Blind and earless, a joey uses its strong sense of touch and smell,as well as natural instinct, to find its way.

Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Moore, B. D., Foley, W. J., Wallis, I. R., Cowling, A. & Handasyde, K. A. Eucalyptus foliar chemistry explains selective feeding by koalas. Biol. Lett. 1, 64–67 (2005). Frankham, R. et al. Predicting the probability of outbreeding depression. Conserv. Biol. 25, 465–475 (2011). Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Dennison, S. et al. Population genetics of the koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus) in north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. Aust. J. Zool. 64, 402–412 (2017).

THE KOALA DAY - WWF Australia 5 WAYS TO HELP KOALAS THIS SAVE THE KOALA DAY - WWF Australia

Kimble, B. et al. In vitro hepatic microsomal metabolism of meloxicam in koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus), brushtail possums ( Trichosurus vulpecula), ringtail possums ( Pseudocheirus peregrinus), rats ( Rattus norvegicus) and dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C Toxicol. Pharmacol. 161, 7–14 (2014). O’Connell, J. F. & Allen, J. The process, biotic impact, and global implications of the human colonization of Sahul about 47,000 years ago. J. Archaeol. Sci. 56, 73–84 (2015). Saltré, F. et al. Climate change not to blame for late Quaternary megafauna extinctions in Australia. Nat. Commun. 7, 10511 (2016). Woinarski, J. C., Burbidge, A. A. & Harrison, P. L. Ongoing unraveling of a continental fauna: decline and extinction of Australian mammals since European settlement. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 112, 4531–4540 (2015).Katoh, K. & Standley, D. M. MAFFT multiple sequence alignment software version 7: improvements in performance and usability. Mol. Biol. Evol. 30, 772–780 (2013). Holt, C. & Yandell, M. MAKER2: an annotation pipeline and genome-database management tool for second-generation genome projects. BMC Bioinformatics 12, 491 (2011). Homology amongst marsupial chromosomes was determined previously from cross-species chromosome painting, which divided marsupial genomes into 19 conserved segments* and could be extrapolated to all previously G-banded marsupial karyotypes †. Koala chromosome 7 corresponds to conserved segments C7 and C8, which are located on the short arm of wallaby chromosome 7 and long arm of tammar wallaby chromosome 1 respectively, and on the short arm of opossum chromosome 1 (insert). The contigs (indicated by different colours) making up each koala supercontig and the size of the supercontigs are indicated. The tammar wallaby scaffold identifier numbers have also been provided. Gray short-tailed opossum chromosome 1 has been used as a reference as the sequence has been oriented on the gray short-tailed opossum chromosome 83. Meyerhof, W. et al. The molecular receptive ranges of human TAS2R bitter taste receptors. Chem. Senses 35, 157–170 (2010). Faculty of Science, Health, Education & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia