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The Tasmanian Devil Transcriptome Reveals Schwann Cell Origins of a Clonally Transmissible Cancer
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 02:47 authored by Murchison, EP, Cesar Tovar LopezCesar Tovar Lopez, Hsu, A, Bender, HS, Kheradpour, P, Rebbeck, CA, Obendorf, D, Conlan, C, Bahlo, M, Catherine BlizzardCatherine Blizzard, Pyecroft, S, Kreiss, A, Kellis, M, Stark, A, Harkins, TT, Marshall Graves, JA, Gregory WoodsGregory Woods, Hannon, GJ, Papenfuss, ATThe Tasmanian devil, a marsupial carnivore, is endangered because of the emergence of a transmissible cancer known as devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). This fatal cancer is clonally derived and is an allograft transmitted between devils by biting. We performed a large-scale genetic analysis of DFTD with microsatellite genotyping, a mitochondrial genome analysis, and deep sequencing of the DFTD transcriptome and microRNAs. These studies confirm that DFTD is a monophyletic clonally transmissible tumor and suggest that the disease is of Schwann cell origin. On the basis of these results, we have generated a diagnostic marker for DFTD and identify a suite of genes relevant to DFTD pathology and transmission. We provide a genomic data set for the Tasmanian devil that is applicable to cancer diagnosis, disease evolution, and conservation biology.
History
Publication title
ScienceVolume
327Issue
5961Pagination
84-87ISSN
0036-8075Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
Amer Assoc Advancement SciencePlace of publication
1200 New York Ave, Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20005Rights statement
Copyright 2009 by the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceRepository Status
- Restricted