Scientists at the University of Otago have produced a near-complete genome assembly for the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) — a species of marsupial threatened in parts of their native range in Australia, but also a major introduced pest in New Zealand — as part of the Vertebrate Genomes Project.
The common brushtail possum is a nocturnal arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae.
The species is native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, and is the second-largest of the possums.
It is mainly a folivore (leaf-eater), but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the diet.
Like other marsupials, the brushtail possum gives birth to altricial young — gestation lasts only 17.5 days.
Possums at birth are hairless, without overt sexual differentiation and do not even possess full respiration capacity in the lungs.
The first 100 days of life in the pouch are spent moving very little and with eyes shut, completing organogenesis and growth while continuously suckling from a teat.
As such, it could be argued that the most major developmental transition for possums is at weaning and exit from the pouch around 6 months of age.
Despite this, physiological changes associated with extended lactation and weaning have not been well studied, particularly in a genome-wide manner.
“The common brushtail possum is a fascinating animal that is loved in one country and a cause of concern in another,” said University of Otago’s Dr. Tim Hore, corresponding author of the study.
“They are hunted in Aotearoa New Zealand for their fur, and controlled for conservation, but treasured and protected in Australia.”
“Having their full genetic code is important for both countries as efforts to manage their respective populations are being held back by the lack of this knowledge.”
“In New Zealand, where the possum is a harmful introduced species, we can use the…
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