Analysing animal viruses may help kiwi

The tuatara will benefit. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Questions surrounding kiwi, tuatara and other New Zealand wildlife may be unlocked with a breakthrough technique by scientists which examines viruses which affect the species.

Scientists at Auckland University have been part of a global research team analysing the genetic sequences of viruses in animals - a technique which has so far proved to be more effective than the technique of using genetic material from the animal.

Science lecturer Dr Alexei Drummond said analysing a virus in a group of animals enabled scientists to determine population size, the population changes, rate of evolution and rate of movement in the past hundred years. Viruses evolved rapidly so once a common virus infected a large percentage of animals, scientists were able to analyse the genetic sequence to learn about the population.

A recent study of cougars had allowed virus strains to be analysed and shown how valuable information was passed on through the mutations, Dr Drummond said. "Because of the way the virus is transmitted, closely related cougars will have closely related viruses. It is for that reason we can use the viruses to track the cats and learn about their recent history."

Once the viruses were sequenced the data, GPS readings and sample dates were entered into a computer program designed by Dr Drummond.

Software analysed the data and with a mathematical model of how the virus evolved the information was used to estimate the cougar's population size, the changes in the population over time, rate of evolution and rate of movement.

The technique of analysing the genetic data from a virus in an animal rather than the animals' own genes had been more effective for short-term information and is cheaper and a far quicker process, Dr Drummond said.

The research team's findings were recently published in Science, a journal for new research.

- NZPA