ABSTRACT
Pangolins, unique mammals with scales over most of their body, no teeth, poor vision, and an acute olfactory system, comprise the only placental order (Pholidota) without a whole-genome map. To investigate pangolin biology and evolution, we developed genome assemblies of the Malayan (Manis javanica) and Chinese (M. pentadactyla) pangolins. Strikingly, we found that interferon epsilon (IFNE), exclusively expressed in epithelial cells and important in skin and mucosal immunity, is pseudogenized in all African and Asian pangolin species that we examined, perhaps impacting resistance to infection. We propose that scale development was an innovation that provided protection against injuries or stress and reduced pangolin vulnerability to infection. Further evidence of specialized adaptations was evident from positively selected genes involving immunity-related pathways, inflammation, energy storage and metabolism, muscular and nervous systems, and scale/hair development. Olfactory receptor gene families are significantly expanded in pangolins, reflecting their well-developed olfaction system. This study provides insights into mammalian adaptation and functional diversification, new research tools and questions, and perhaps a new natural IFNE-deficient animal model for studying mammalian immunity.
Subject(s)
Animal Scales/anatomy & histology , Evolution, Molecular , Genome , Immunity, Innate/genetics , Mammals/genetics , Adaptation, Physiological , Animals , Endangered Species , Interferons/genetics , Mammals/anatomy & histology , Mammals/classification , Mammals/immunology , Receptors, Odorant/geneticsABSTRACT
The genome of Mycobacterium massiliense M172, isolated from a human sputum sample, was sequenced using Illumina GA IIX technology and found to contain 5,204,460 bp, including putative genes for virulence and antibiotic resistance as well as a 92-kb genomic region most likely to correspond to a mycobacteriophage.
Subject(s)
DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Genome, Bacterial , Mycobacterium/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Mycobacteriophages/genetics , Mycobacterium/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium/pathogenicity , Mycobacterium/virology , Mycobacterium Infections/microbiology , Sputum/microbiology , Virulence Factors/geneticsABSTRACT
Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapid-growing species of nontuberculous mycobacteria that is frequently associated with opportunistic infections in humans. We report herein the draft genome sequence of M. abscessus strain M93.
