近日，圣地亚哥动物园野生动物联盟的Cynthia C. Steiner及其课题组的研究揭示了尽管染色体存在差异，但濒危口袋鼠的健康受益于基因拯救。相关论文于2025年8月21日发表在《科学》杂志上。

研究团队将全基因组序列与适应性数据相结合，在数百只濒危太平洋口袋鼠（Perognaththem longimembris pacificthem）中量化了这些权衡。基因侵蚀对残余种群的影响在混合育种计划中得到逆转，这表明遗传拯救的潜在好处。

然而，染色体数目的差异增加了基因不相容的风险。适应度分析表明，虽然混合核型可能会降低生育能力，但低杂合性和高遗传负荷的非混合小鼠的适应度甚至更低，这表明如果种群保持隔离，灭绝的风险更大。

据了解，地球上三分之二的物种经历了种群数量的下降，使许多物种容易受到基因组侵蚀和近亲繁殖萧条的影响。基因拯救可以提高小种群的适应性，但对近亲繁殖萧条的感知风险可能会限制其主题。

附：英文原文

Title: Fitness benefits of genetic rescue despite chromosomal differences in an endangered pocket mouse

Author: Aryn P. Wilder, Debra M. Shier, Shauna N. D. King, Olga Dudchenko, Erik R. Funk, Ann Misuraca, Marlys L. Houck, William B. Miller, Caitlin J. Curry, Julie Fronczek, Ruqayya Khan, David Weisz, Robert N. Fisher, Erez Lieberman Aiden, Oliver A. Ryder, Cynthia C. Steiner

Issue&Volume: 2025-08-21

Abstract: Two-thirds of Earth’s species have undergone population declines, leaving many vulnerable to genomic erosion and inbreeding depression. Genetic rescue can boost the fitness of small populations, but perceived risks of outbreeding depression can limit its use. We quantified these trade-offs in hundreds of endangered Pacific pocket mice (Perognathus longimembris pacificus) by combining whole-genome sequences with fitness data. The impacts of genomic erosion in remnant populations were reversed in an admixed breeding program, suggesting the potential benefits of genetic rescue. However, differences in chromosome numbers increase the risk of genetic incompatibilities. Fitness analyses suggested that although admixed karyotypes may have reduced fertility, non-admixed mice with low heterozygosity and high genetic load had even lower fitness, pointing to a greater risk of extinction if populations remain isolated.

DOI: adn4666

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn4666