Your World of Legal Intelligence
 United Kingdom | +44 (0) 20 7284 8080

Bangor University : Ancient genes vital for dolphin survival.

Document Cited in Related
Vincent

ENPNewswire-November 2, 2021--Bangor University : Ancient genes vital for dolphin survival

(C)2021 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk

Release date- 01112021 - Ancient genes that predate the last ice age may be the key to survival, at least if you are a dolphin, according to new research.

Genes as old as 2.3 million-years-old helped the bottlenose dolphin adapt to new habitats through changes in behaviour and may be the secret to their survival and range expansion, according to the new research led by the University of St Andrews, with participation from Bangor University.

Understanding the processes that allow species to extend their ranges and adapt to new environmental conditions in a newly available habitat such as new coastal habitats at the end of the last Ice Age, is an essential question in biology.

This new international study addressed this in the highly social and long-lived common bottlenose dolphin, a species which has repeatedly adapted from being an offshore (pelagic) species to life in coastal waters.

Key to their ability to adapt to changing environments over generations are genes associated with cognitive abilities and feeding behaviours, indicating that bottlenose dolphin sociality has helped them to adapt and survive.

Dr Andrew Foote, co-author of the paper published in Science Advances, co-supervised the research project while at the University's School of Natural Resources. Now at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, he explained:

'The saying 'old wine in new bottles', refers to old ideas being repackaged as new ones. Our results suggest ancient genes repackaged in new generations of bottlenose dolphins have helped them repeatedly adapt to life in coastal waters around the world.'

Lead author, Dr Marie Louis at the University of St Andrews said:

'Old genes were important contributors to bottlenose dolphins' ability to repeatedly adapt to coastal waters across the world.

'Furthermore, several of the genes involved in this repeated adaptation to coastal habitats have...

To continue reading

Request your trial
COPYRIGHT Normans Media Ltd.

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT