Big cat genomics

Abstract

Genetics The lion may be the king of beasts, but over the past ∼14,000 years, their range has decreased substantially and many current populations are in decline. To understand the historical population genomics of lions, de Manuel et al. sequenced cave lion remains from ∼30,000 years ago, several historic specimens from extinct populations over the past ∼500 years, and samples from extant populations. From this, they were able to reconstruct relationships among lion populations over time. No evidence of gene flow between cave lions and recent lion populations was detected. Modern lion groups that diverged into northern and southern lineages show evidence of admixture, especially in extant central African populations. These data could be valuable not only because they indicate the relationships between modern and extinct populations but also because they reveal a historical level of inbreeding that could be relevant to conservation efforts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117 , 10927 (2020).