Researchers Sequence Genomes of All Living Penguin Species

Scientists from the Penguin Genome Consortium have produced 19 high-coverage penguin genome sequences that, together with two previously published genomes, encompass all surviving penguin species.

Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri). Image credit: Michael Van Woert / NOAA / NESDIS / ORA.

Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri). Image credit: Michael Van Woert / NOAA / NESDIS / ORA.

Penguins (Sphenisciformes) are a remarkable order of flightless wing-propelled diving seabirds distributed widely across the southern hemisphere.

Approximately 20 extant penguin species are recognized across 6 genera: Aptenodytes, Pygoscelis, Eudyptula, Spheniscus, Eudyptes, and Megadyptes.

With their specialized skin and feathers and an enhanced thermoregulation system they are able to inhabit environments from the extreme cold Antarctic sea ice to the tropical Galápagos Islands.

Penguins have an extensive fossil record, with over 50 extinct species documented to date, extending back some 60 million years.

Extant penguins span a modest range of sizes, with the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) the largest (30 kg) and Eudyptula penguins the smallest (1 kg). In contrast, the fossil record reveals that many extinct penguin species were giants, surpassing 100 kg in body mass.

“The population history of different penguin species can be seen in their genome,” said Dr. Theresa Cole, a researcher at the University of Otago.

“We will provide new insights into the population history of all penguins over dramatic climate events, to predict population trends under future climate change scenarios.”

“This research will help us understand how future climate change may affect other species, to help us develop conservation strategies.”

Top: locations of breeding colonies of penguins and sampling sites for the final genomes; sampling locations are shown with a small white ellipse. Bottom: phylogenomic reconstruction of penguins. Image credit: Pan et al, doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giz117.

Top: locations of breeding colonies of penguins and sampling sites for the final genomes; sampling locations are shown with a small white ellipse. Bottom: phylogenomic reconstruction of penguins. Image credit: Pan et al, doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giz117.

As with the work done on Darwin’s finches, studying the radiation of all penguin species provides similar enlightening case study for researching unique penguin morphological and physiological adaptations.

The team is also sequencing the genomes of recently extinct penguin species, as well as undertaking population genomic studies using multiple genomes per species.

“The penguin ancestor experienced rapid radiation leading to the current approximate 20 extant species, accompanied by many ancient lineages that are now extinct. The radiation of penguin thus provides an excellent example for the study of speciation,” said Dr. Guojie Zhang, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, BGI, and Kunming Institute of Zoology.

The results were published in the journal GigaScience.

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Hailin Pan et al. 2019. High-coverage genomes to elucidate the evolution of penguins. GigaScience 8 (9): giz117; doi: 10.1093/gigascience/giz117

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