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Abstract

Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) are evolving in response to a unique transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD), first described in 1996. Persistence of wild populations and the recent emergence of a second independently evolved transmissible cancer suggest that transmissible cancers may be a recurrent feature in devils. Here, we compared signatures of selection across temporal scales to determine whether genes or gene pathways under contemporary selection (six to eight generations) have also been subject to historical selection (65–85 Myr). First, we used targeted sequencing, RAD-capture, in approximately 2500 devils in six populations to identify genomic regions subject to rapid evolution. We documented genome-wide contemporary evolution, including 186 candidate genes related to cell cycling and immune response. Then we used a molecular evolution approach to identify historical positive selection in devils compared to other marsupials and found evidence of selection in 1773 genes. However, we found limited overlap across time scales, with only 16 shared candidate genes, and no overlap in enriched functional gene sets. Our results are consistent with a novel, multi-locus evolutionary response of devils to DFTD. Our results can inform conservation by identifying high priority targets for genetic monitoring and guiding maintenance of adaptive potential in managed populations.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Stahlke, AR and Epstein, B and Barbosa, S and Margres, MJ and Patton, AH and Hendricks, SA and Veillet, A and Fraik, AK and Schonfeld, B and McCallum, HI and Hamede, R and Jones, ME and Storfer, A and Hohenlohe, PA
Keywords:	Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease, rapid evolution
Journal or Publication Title:	Royal Society of London. Proceedings. Biological Sciences
Publisher:	Royal Soc London
ISSN:	0962-8452
DOI / ID Number:	https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.0577
Copyright Information:	© 2021 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Related URLs:	Google Scholar: Hamede, R UTAS Profile: Hamede, R Google Scholar: Jones, ME UTAS Profile: Jones, ME
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