Chinese scientists have mapped the first complete genome of Himalayan marmots who can survive at altitudes up to 5,000 meters in Himalayan regions that experience extreme cold and scarce oxygen and resources.

 

中国科学家成功绘制喜马拉雅旱獭的完整基因组，这种动物可以在喜马拉雅山海拔5000多米、极寒、缺氧缺资源的地区生存。

 

The findings, published in this week's issue of journal iScience, revealed the genetic¹ mechanisms² underlying³ high-altitude adaptation and hibernation⁴, which might help researchers study evolution, highland⁵ disease, and cold adaptation.

 

"As one of the highest-altitude-dwelling mammals, the Himalayan marmot is chronically⁶ exposed to cold temperature, hypoxia, and intense UV radiation," said Liu Enqi with Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center in China. "They also hibernate⁷ for more than six months during the wintertime."

 

The researchers sequenced and assembled a complete draft genome of a male Himalayan marmot and re-sequenced 20 other Himalayan marmots, including individuals living at high and low altitudes, and four other marmot species.

 

The findings showed that the Himalayan marmot diverged⁸ from the Mongolian marmot about two million years ago.

 

The researchers identified two genes⁹ which are related to survival in high-altitude populations under conditions of extremely low oxygen. One of them may have neural¹⁰ protective role and the other helps prevent the excess growth of new blood vessels¹¹ under extremely low-oxygen conditions, according to the study.

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