New research has revealed that carnivores seem to be a stronger choice for DNAs linked in dietary adaptation than herbivores and omnivores. Researchers have said this could be due to their restricted diet. The only problem here is that carnivores are the only very finely specialized mammals. Meaning they would be in great trouble when their supply of regular food suddenly have gone out.
For the research, researchers analyzed 18 mammals including five herbivores, five omnivores, and eight carnivores. They also have sequenced the genome of an Amur leopard with the use of a female muscle sample from Korea.
After comparing the DNAs of all 18 mammals, researchers have found out that carnivores have lost several DNAs for carb digestion and have shared changes to DNAs associated with muscle agility and strength, making them very efficient in hunting - which is something not apparent in herbivores and omnivores. These only shows that diets of herbivores and omnivores are weaker selection as compared to diets of carnivores.
"Using the Amur leopard genome and comparing it to that of other mammalian genomes we found that carnivores seem to be a strong selection force for genes involved in dietary adaptation," Mr. Yunsung Cho said in a report of the research posted in BioMed Central. For further explanation, Mr. Cho used the example of the cow.
He said that cows could consume meat without it causing a tremendous impact on their health. However, leopards who eat grass and other plants would die fast because they have grown to eat only meat. Meanwhile, Nature has reported that several big cats revealed latest losses in genetic diversity, telling that population decreases may be associated with their very strict diet.
In the end, researchers take the result of the study as a dietary adaptation for increased meat consumption, which is linked to greater risk of cancers in humans. They also speculate that the functional changes present in genes repair and damage involved genes help lessen diet-related DNA damage in cat species. Lastly, they were very pleased to announce that this possible cat's genetic feature can lead to much better knowledge of human health and dietary research.
