Project description:Background:The pangolin is a Pholidota mammal with large keratin scales protecting its skin. Two pangolin species ( Manis pentadactyla and Manis javanica ) have been recorded as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Optical mapping constructs high-resolution restriction maps from single DNA molecules for genome analysis at the megabase scale and to assist genome assembly. Here, we constructed restriction maps of M. pentadactyla and M. javanica using optical mapping to assist with genome assembly and analysis of these species. Findings:Genomic DNA was nicked with Nt.BspQI and then labeled using fluorescently labeled bases that were detected by the Irys optical mapping system. In total, 3,313,734 DNA molecules (517.847 Gb) for M. pentadactyla and 3,439,885 DNA molecules (504.743 Gb) for M. javanica were obtained, which corresponded to approximately 178X and 177X genome coverage, respectively. Qualified molecules (?150 kb with a label density of >6 sites per 100 kb) were analyzed using the de novo assembly program embedded in the IrysView pipeline. We obtained two maps that were 2.91 Gb and 2.85 Gb in size with N50s of 1.88?Mb and 1.97?Mb, respectively. Conclusions:Optical mapping reveals large-scale structural information that is especially important for non-model genomes that lack a good reference. The approach has the potential to guide de novo assembly of genomes sequenced using next-generation sequencing. Our data provide a resource for Manidae genome analysis and references for de novo assembly. This note also provides new insights into Manidae evolutionary analysis at the genome structure level.
Project description:Chinese Pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) are Critically Endangered and one of the most illegally traded mammals globally. We generated first COI sequences from five individuals of this species from Nepal. BLASTn search of our 600 bp sequences at GenBank showed pair-wise identity between 99.17% and 100% to M. pentadactyla. There were three haplotypes and a total of five variable sites among five M. pentadactyla sequences. Neighbor-joining tree revealed that all M. pentadactyla from Nepal clustered into same group further splitting into two sub-groups albeit with low bootstrap value, suggesting potential multiple geographic origins. The K2P distance was 0.3% within group and 0.7% between four sequences from Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok districts (Mape2, Mape3, Mape5 and Mape6) and museum sample (Mape10). This study has generated reference samples for M. pentadactyla from Nepal and will be helpful in understanding dynamics of illegal trade of this species and in successful identification of M. pentadactyla from Nepal even in the absence of intact specimens.
Project description:Chinese pangolin is the world's most heavily trafficked small mammal for luxury food and traditional medicine. Although their populations are declining worldwide, it is difficult to monitor their population status because of its rarity and nocturnal behavior. We used site occupancy (presence/absence) sampling of pangolin sign (i.e., active burrows) in a protected (Gaurishankar Conservation Area) and non-protected area (Ramechhap District) of central Nepal with multiple environmental covariates to understand factors that may influence occupancy of Chinese pangolin. The average Chinese pangolin occupancy and detection probabilities were Ψ^ ± SE = 0.77 ± 0.08; p^ ± SE = 0.27 ± 0.05, respectively. The detection probabilities of Chinese pangolin were higher in PA ( p^ ± SE = 0.33 ± 0.03) than compared to non-PA ( p^ ± SE = 0.25 ± 0.04). The most important covariates for Chinese pangolin detectability were red soil (97%), food source (97.6%), distance to road (97.9%), and protected area (97%) and with respect to occupancy was elevation (97.9%). We recommended use of remote cameras and potentially GPS collar surveys to further investigate habitat use and site occupancy at regular intervals to provide more reliable conservation assessments.
Project description:The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) has long suffered from intense exploitation driven by consumer demand for medicinal use and food. Effective conservation management is hampered by insufficient data on pangolin status and distribution. We integrated ecological niche modelling with long-term ecological records at the local scale (e.g. from local historical documents, grey and published literature and interviews) to estimate the magnitude of potential distribution change of the Chinese pangolin in eastern China (Fujian, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces) over time. Our results suggest that the range of the species decreased by 52.20% between the 1970s and early 2000s and that the population is now mainly confined to the Wuyi Mountains. This reduction in potential distribution range is attributable to anthropogenic pressures. According to our conservation prioritization analysis, the priority conservation area for the Chinese pangolin in eastern China is 51 268.4 km2, 5.62% of which is covered by nature reserves. There are 18 nature reserves and 46 prefectures which are priority areas for conservation in China. The priority-level nature reserves and prefectures in eastern China are mainly located in the centre of the Wuyi Mountains, and areas declared important tend to be around the Wuyi Mountains. We propose several actions to improve the conservation status of this species: establish or enlarge nature reserves, ensure local governments at the prefecture level prioritize conservation management and encourage local communities to participate in pangolin conservation.
Project description:Determine the genes controlled by dTcf/Pan involved in tumor formation manuscript dTcf/Pangolin suppresses growth and tumor formation in Drosophila