Age estimation of wild bird by DNA methylation

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19426
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology and Evolution (including anthropology), and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Murayama Miho 京都大学, 野生動物研究センター, 教授 (60293552)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 伊藤 英之 京都市動物園, 生き物・学び・研究センター, 研究教育係長(獣医師) (10779648) ; 大沼 学 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 生物・生態系環境研究センター, 主任研究員 (50442695)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: メチル化 / 野生動物 / 鳥類 / 年齢 / DNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we confirmed the utility of age estimation in wildlife using DNA methylation rates as an indicator. In birds, candidate regions were explored by analyzing the genome sequences of the Okinawan rail, Humboldt penguin, and golden eagle. In mammals, we found an association between age and methylation rates of specific genes in chimpanzees, Japanese macaques, domestic cats, and snow leopards. In addition, age was successfully estimated in feces of wild Japanese macaques. While age-related methylation regions are common among various species, it was found that age estimation requires species-specific conditions. If this method can be put into practical use for wildlife, we can expect epoch-making progress in ecological research and contribution to conservation by obtaining information of animals on reproductive age.

Free Research Field

動物遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

糞などの非侵襲試料に由来するDNAメチル化率を指標とした年齢推定に成功した。この成果により、生前に採取した糞や羽などの非侵襲試料での年齢推定が確実にできれば、生態学的研究に画期的な進歩をもたらすことが期待でき、繁殖可能な年齢の情報が得られることで保全対策にも貢献できる。