Gene mapping of tiger completed, to help in conservation

AHMEDABAD: In a first, a group of genome scientists from five countries has successfully completed the 'whole genome sequencing' of the tiger.

The 'whole genome sequencing' of an organism describes the arrangement of all the genes on a single set of chromosomes of the organism. It is considered a complete blueprint of its genetic make-up and provides invaluable insight into a species' interaction with its environment, its genetic diversity as well as its capability to adapt and evolve.

Fifteen scientists led by Jong Bhak of Genome Research Foundation, South Korea, decoded as many as 3 billion nucleotides (organic molecules that form the basic building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA). They identified 20,000 genes related to various functions of the tiger.

"This is a significant milestone as far as tiger conservation is concerned. Till now, genetic studies on the tiger were focused mostly on single functions or genetic aspects. This is the first time that the entire genome sequencing has been completed," said Priyavrat Gadhvi, a biotechnologist from Ahmedabad who was the only Indian participant in the project.

The genome sequencing was taken up in 2010 at a Tiger Conservation Colloquium hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg with the goal of doubling the number of world's tigers by 2022.

The completion of full genome sequencing of the tiger is a major breakthrough as the data now available will form the basis of all future genetic studies related to tiger conservation. The team has decided to make the data publically available for research.

"We want to make this information available to all researchers interested in and focused on conservation work," Bhak said.

India is the most important Tiger Range Country (TRC) – home to the highest number of wild tigers – among the few TRCs in the world.