Genetic approaches for increasing fitness in endangered species

Tiffany A Kosch; Anthony W Waddle; Caitlin A Cooper; Kyall R Zenger; Dorian J Garrick; Lee Berger; Lee F Skerratt

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.003

Genetic approaches for increasing fitness in endangered species

Trends Ecol Evol. 2022 Apr;37(4):332-345. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.003. Epub 2022 Jan 10.

Authors

Tiffany A Kosch¹, Anthony W Waddle², Caitlin A Cooper³, Kyall R Zenger⁴, Dorian J Garrick⁵, Lee Berger², Lee F Skerratt²

Affiliations

¹ AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Massey University, 10 Bisley Drive, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand; One Health Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
² One Health Research Group, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.
³ CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, 5 Portarlington Road. East Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
⁴ Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
⁵ AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Massey University, 10 Bisley Drive, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.

PMID: 35027225
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.003

Abstract

The global rate of wildlife extinctions is accelerating, and the persistence of many species requires conservation breeding programs. A central paradigm of these programs is to preserve the genetic diversity of the founder populations. However, this may preserve original characteristics that make them vulnerable to extinction. We introduce targeted genetic intervention (TGI) as an alternative approach that promotes traits that enable species to persist in the face of threats by changing the incidence of alleles that impact on fitness. The TGI toolkit includes methods with established efficacy in model organisms and agriculture but are largely untried for conservation, such as synthetic biology and artificial selection. We explore TGI approaches as a species-restoration tool for intractable threats including infectious disease and climate change.

Keywords: GWAS; assisted evolution; conservation breeding; eQTL; genomic selection; synthetic biology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Alleles
Animals
Animals, Wild
Climate Change
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Endangered Species*