近日，中科院昆明動(dòng)物所,、深圳華大基因研究院等單位對樹鼩進(jìn)行了全基因組測序，并對其分類地位和相關(guān)生物學(xué)特征進(jìn)行了深度解析,。業(yè)內(nèi)專家認(rèn)為,，該研究解決了長期以來學(xué)界關(guān)于樹鼩與靈長總目的系統(tǒng)發(fā)育關(guān)系的爭議，為其在生物醫(yī)學(xué)研究中用作動(dòng)物模型奠定了重要的遺傳學(xué)基礎(chǔ),。相關(guān)研究成果日前在線發(fā)表于《自然—通訊》雜志,。
據(jù)了解，樹鼩因其分子細(xì)胞層面與人的相似性,，被當(dāng)做實(shí)驗(yàn)動(dòng)物模型而廣泛用于生物醫(yī)學(xué)研究和藥物安全性評價(jià),。目前，多種人類病毒感染的樹鼩模型已建立,，并在神經(jīng)生物學(xué),、生殖生物學(xué)、免疫學(xué),、社會(huì)心理學(xué)以及衰老研究等領(lǐng)域有著廣泛而深入的研究與應(yīng)用,。但樹鼩的分類地位尚不明確，且爭議很大,。
在這項(xiàng)研究中,，科研人員利用二代測序技術(shù)對一只中國樹鼩進(jìn)行了全基因組測序,，總覆蓋度高達(dá)79X。之后,，科研人員又將相關(guān)數(shù)據(jù)與多個(gè)物種基因組進(jìn)行了比較分析,。利用全基因組序列重構(gòu)樹鼩與其他物種的系統(tǒng)發(fā)育關(guān)系，科研人員證實(shí)了樹鼩與靈長類親緣關(guān)系最為接近,，從分子水平上為樹鼩分類學(xué)研究奠定了科研基礎(chǔ),，并且為其代替非人靈長類動(dòng)物作為實(shí)驗(yàn)動(dòng)物模型提供了重要依據(jù)。經(jīng)過進(jìn)一步分析樹鼩與人類之間的遺傳學(xué)關(guān)系,，研究人員共鑒定出28個(gè)樹鼩與靈長類共有的功能性基因,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1038/ncomms2416
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Genome of the Chinese tree shrew
Yu Fan,Zhi-Yong Huang,Chang-Chang Cao,Ce-Shi Chen,Yuan-Xin Chen,Ding-Ding Fan,Jing He,Hao-Long Hou,Li Hu,Xin-Tian Hu,Xuan-Ting Jiang,Ren Lai,Yong-Shan Lang,Bin Liang,Sheng-Guang Liao,Dan Mu,Yuan-Ye Ma,Yu-Yu Niu,Xiao-Qing Sun,Jin-Quan Xia
Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) possess many features valuable in animals used as experimental models in biomedical research. Currently, there are numerous attempts to employ tree shrews as models for a variety of human disorders: depression, myopia, hepatitis B and C virus infections, and hepatocellular carcinoma, to name a few. Here we present a publicly available annotated genome sequence for the Chinese tree shrew. Phylogenomic analysis of the tree shrew and other mammalians highly support its close affinity to primates. By characterizing key factors and signalling pathways in nervous and immune systems, we demonstrate that tree shrews possess both shared common and unique features, and provide a genetic basis for the use of this animal as a potential model for biomedical research.
