The Tasmanian devil transcriptome reveals Schwann cell origins of a clonally transmissible cancer.
The Tasmanian devil, a marsupial carnivore, is endangered because of the emergence of a transmissible cancer known as devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). This fatal cancer is clonally derived and is an allograft transmitted between devils by biting. We performed a large-scale genetic analysis of DFTD with microsatellite genotyping, a mitochondrial genome analysis, and deep sequencing of the DFTD transcriptome and microRNAs. These studies confirm that DFTD is a monophyletic clonally transmissible tumor and suggest that the disease is of Schwann cell origin. On the basis of these results, we have generated a diagnostic marker for DFTD and identify a suite of genes relevant to DFTD pathology and transmission. We provide a genomic data set for the Tasmanian devil that is applicable to cancer diagnosis, disease evolution, and conservation biology.
Murchison
Elizabeth P
EP
Watson School of Biological Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA. elizabeth.murchison@sanger.ac.uk
Tovar
Cesar
C
Hsu
Arthur
A
Bender
Hannah S
HS
Kheradpour
Pouya
P
Rebbeck
Clare A
CA
Obendorf
David
D
Conlan
Carly
C
Bahlo
Melanie
M
Blizzard
Catherine A
CA
Pyecroft
Stephen
S
Kreiss
Alexandre
A
Kellis
Manolis
M
Stark
Alexander
A
Harkins
Timothy T
TT
Marshall Graves
Jennifer A
JA
Woods
Gregory M
GM
Hannon
Gregory J
GJ
Papenfuss
Anthony T
AT
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000662:veterinary; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D052138:Genes, Neoplasm; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial; D005838:Genotype; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000235:genetics; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; C086745:periaxin