Scientists map beaver genome as gift for Canada's 150th birthday
Throughout Canada's history, the industrious, humble beaver has gone from near-extinction at the height of the fur trade to becoming the official symbol of our nation.
Now, Canadian researchers are hoping that the furry rodent can also become a science hero by helping them better understand human disorders like autism.
In a Canadian first, scientists at The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children have sequenced the entire genome of the Canadian beaver. More specifically, they mapped out all the genes of 10-year-old Ward, a beaver who lives at the Toronto Zoo.
The beaver DNA project is expected to help advance research into human disorders and diseases such as autism and cancer, by allowing scientists to better understand genome sequencing done from scratch.
"The beaver genome was something that was begging to be studied," TCAG director Steve Scherer told CTV News.
It was also the perfect gift to Canada as the country approaches its 150th anniversary, he said.
"Up until now, the beaver genome had not yet been completed. It's an important animal, not just in Canada's history, but also in the study of evolution and biology."
Scherer, known for his breakthrough research into genes linked to autism, explained that the beaver genome sequencing was done as a way to test new technologies and ideas developed at the TCAG to study human genomes.
TCAG sequences about 10,000 genomes each year, using a process known as "re-sequencing," or comparing the studied genome to existing sequences of other individuals.
This time, scientists used a much more complex approach called "de novo" sequencing, which meant they assembled Ward the beaver's genome from scratch.
"It's amazingly difficult, that's why it's not commonly done," Si Lok, the study co-author and lead of technology development at TCAG, told CTV News.
"Ward was the perfect example for us to try the new technology."
Scherer said that because of technological limitations in the past, TCAG scientists have been able to provide only about 20 per cent of families affected by autism with a genetic explanation.
Now, thanks to de novo sequencing of Ward's genome, the same process can be applied to human DNA and lessons learned from the beaver project can be applied to ongoing autism research, as well as genetic studies of cancer and other disorders, Scherer said.
"Many, many of the genes that are found in human brain development are found in beaver genome," Scherer said. "And that's not surprising because the beaver is actually the only other organism other than humans that modifies its environment to benefit itself, its survival -- so it must be really smart."
In addition to the Toronto Zoo, the scientists also partnered with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Toronto. SickKids also produced a YouTube video explaining how the beaver genome sequencing was done.
"It's very much a Canadian initiative and we're bringing together these big giants from Canadian institutions," said Kevin Kerr, a Toronto Zoo curator who helped arrange the study of Ward's DNA.
"We think this is a huge Canadian success story," Scherer said.
With files from CTV's medical affairs specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
Wanasayansi wa Canada wamepanga ramani ya jeni ya beaver kama zawadi kwa siku ya kuzaliwa ya 150 ya Canada, na kwa historia ya Canada, beaver mwenye bidii na mnyenyekevu amepita kutoka karibu na kutoweka wakati wa kilele cha biashara ya manyoya kuwa ishara rasmi ya taifa letu. Watafiti wa Canada wana matumaini kwamba panya huyo mwenye manyoya anaweza kuwa shujaa wa sayansi kwa kuwasaidia kuelewa vizuri magonjwa ya binadamu kama vile ugonjwa wa akili. Kwa mara ya kwanza, wanasayansi wa Kituo cha Genomics ya Matumizi (TCAG) katika Hospitali ya Toronto ya Watoto Wagonjwa wameorodhesha genome nzima ya beaver ya Canada. Kwa mfano, kuna mnyama anayeitwa Ward mwenye umri wa miaka 10 anayeishi katika bustani ya wanyama ya Toronto. Mradi wa DNA ya beaver unatarajiwa kusaidia kuendeleza utafiti wa magonjwa ya binadamu kama vile autism na kansa, kwa kuruhusu wanasayansi kuelewa vizuri mpangilio wa genome uliofanywa kutoka mwanzo. "Genome ya beaver ilikuwa kitu ambacho kilikuwa kinahitaji kuchunguzwa", mkurugenzi wa TCAG Steve Scherer aliiambia CTV News. "Hiyo pia ilikuwa zawadi kamili kwa Canada wakati nchi inakaribia maadhimisho ya miaka 150 ya kuanzishwa kwake,"" alisema." "Hata sasa, jeni la beaver halikuwa limekamilika. Ni mnyama muhimu, si katika historia ya Kanada tu, bali pia katika utafiti wa mageuzi na biolojia". Scherer, anayejulikana kwa utafiti wake wa kuvutia juu ya jeni zinazohusiana na ugonjwa wa akili, alielezea kwamba utaratibu wa genome ya beaver ulifanywa kama njia ya kujaribu teknolojia mpya na mawazo yaliyobuniwa katika TCAG kusoma genome za binadamu. TCAG hufuatilia karibu genomes 10,000 kila mwaka, kwa kutumia mchakato unaojulikana kama "kufuatilia tena", au kulinganisha genome iliyochunguzwa na mfululizo uliopo wa watu wengine. Wakati huu, wanasayansi walitumia mbinu ngumu zaidi inayoitwa "de novo" sequencing, ambayo ilimaanisha kwamba walikusanya genome ya Ward beaver kutoka mwanzo. "Hii ni ngumu sana, ndiyo sababu haifanyiwi kwa kawaida, ""Si Lok, mwandishi mwenza wa utafiti na kiongozi wa maendeleo ya teknolojia katika TCAG, aliiambia CTV News." "Ward alikuwa mfano mzuri sana kwa ajili yetu kujaribu teknolojia hiyo mpya". "Kutokana na upungufu wa teknolojia, wanasayansi wa TCAG wameweza kutoa maelezo ya maumbile kwa asilimia 20 tu ya familia zilizoathiriwa na ugonjwa wa akili.""" "Sasa, shukrani kwa mpangilio wa de novo wa genome ya Ward, mchakato huo huo unaweza kutumika kwa DNA ya binadamu na masomo yaliyopatikana kutoka kwa mradi wa beaver yanaweza kutumika kwa utafiti wa autism unaoendelea, pamoja na masomo ya maumbile ya saratani na matatizo mengine. """ "Jeni nyingi, nyingi ambazo hupatikana katika ukuzi wa ubongo wa binadamu hupatikana katika genome ya beaver", Scherer akasema. "Na hiyo haishangazi kwa sababu beaver ni kiumbe pekee kingine isipokuwa wanadamu ambacho hubadilisha mazingira yake ili kujinufaisha, kuishi kwake - kwa hivyo lazima iwe na akili sana. """ Kwa kuongezea, utafiti huo ulifanywa na Chuo Kikuu cha Toronto, Chuo Kikuu cha Royal Ontario, Chuo Kikuu cha Ontario, na Taasisi ya Ontario ya Utafiti wa Saratani. SickKids pia ilitengeneza video ya YouTube inayoelezea jinsi utaratibu wa genome ya beaver ulivyofanywa. "Hii ni mpango wa Canada na tunaleta pamoja majitu haya makubwa kutoka taasisi za Canada, ""alisema Kevin Kerr, msimamizi wa Toronto Zoo ambaye alisaidia kupanga utafiti wa DNA ya Ward." "Tunafikiri hii ni hadithi kubwa ya mafanikio ya Canada", Scherer alisema. Miongoni mwao ni Mtaalamu wa masuala ya matibabu wa CTV, Avis Favaro, na mtayarishaji Elizabeth St. Philip.