In their new research, scientists at Texas A&M University developed a highly contiguous chromosome-level reference genome for the North American bison (Bison bison). In doing so, they also discovered the gene responsible for albinism in this species.
The North American bison is an iconic species due to their cultural and spiritual connection with Native American people, production potential to ranchers, and symbology of successful conservation efforts in federal and state parks and wildlife refuges.
In addition, the bison was officially named the national mammal of the United States in 2016.
Millions of bison once roamed the continent until they experienced a near extinction-level event reducing their census size by over 99% in the 1800s.
Their salvation is owed to various private herds established with wild caught calves across North America from Texas, United States to Alberta, Canada.
Today, most bison are privately maintained as production livestock, while a smaller portion are managed as wildlife on public, nongovernmental organization, or tribal lands where they continue to play a vital role as grazers and food sources.
“Because reference genomes can help researchers identify and characterize genes that are responsible for a large number of traits, this technology is used to do all kinds of things, including diagnosing health conditions and developing targeted treatments,” said co-senior author Dr. Brian Davis, a researcher at the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science.
The newest bison reference genome was developed using technology that allows researchers to create genomes based on DNA from hybrids, which are animals with DNA from two different species.
In this case, Dr. Davis and his colleagues used DNA from a type of bison-cow hybrid called an F1, or individuals with a perfect 50-50 split between its parents’ DNA.
In general, F1 hybrids between bison and cattle are rare but have historically happened, since…
Read the full article here