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Genetics and crossbreeding. Let's focus on the good side

Genetics and crossbreeding. Let's focus on the good side

Gene transfer from one species to another and the potential consequences of this process – these are the issues studied by Dr hab. Wiesław Babik, a biologist from the JU Institute of Environmental Sciences, winner of the National Science Centre Award.

Dr hab. Wiesław Babik leads the Molecular and Behavioural Ecology Team. This year, he was awarded by the National Science Centre for his research on adaptive evolution in animals, particularly the changes in gene histocompatibility.

What does the award mean to you?

It's a great honour. But it was also unexpected. The category in which I was awarded – life sciences – encompasses multiple fields, including molecular biology and medicine. Many distinguished researchers work in these fields. On a personal level, the award gives me the hope that the research we have conducted in the recent years contributed to the development of science. I also hope that it will increase the general public's interest in evolutionary biology. The theory of evolution is the conceptual foundation of modern biology and helps us understand different branches of biomedicine – molecular biology, biochemistry, medicine – so it's worth knowing something about.

What are the positive and negative aspects of crossbreeding?

New species evolve when reproductive isolation occurs between populations. This happens when specimens from different populations do not crossbreed, or their offspring has, for some reason, a "worse" genetic make-up. This, in turn, leads to the inability to produce fertile offspring by different populations of the same species. This process takes a very long time, sometimes even millions of years. That's why in nature we encounter mostly semi-isolated species which can crossbreed. Biologists have debated over the evolutionary importance of crossbreeding for years. It's more common in plants than animals. It comes as no surprise, then, that traditionally crossbreeding has been crucial for botanists, but not very important to zoologists. Similarly, empiricists placed more importance on it than theorists. In my opinion it's an important phenomenon; however, its still not clearly understood.

How does gene histocompatibility fit into the issue of crossbreeding?

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex are found only in vertebrates, including humans. They allow the organism to discern its own proteins from alien ones, which helps its to detect microorganisms, parasites and viruses. What's more, they enable precise localisation and elimination of the intruder, and "remember" him so that the next invasion is swiftly dealt with. These genes are exceptional, since they are the most variable of all genes. There are thousands of variants of this genes in the population of any species. This points to the fact that diversity is favoured by natural selection, but we don't fully understand  its mechanisms and evolutionary consequences. That's what makes it such an interesting research subject.

So what are the conclusions that you and your team have reached?

Our research shows that crossbreeding can be a source of new variants of histocompatibility genes. They can increase the evolutionary potential of the species into which they are introduced via crossbreeding. We have also proved that although diversity is favoured by natural selection, when the population considerably decreases, so does variety. However, populations like that can survive for thousands of years. Another important aspect of our work  is developing methods of discerning the differences between histocompatibility gene variants on the level of DNA. Due to their massive diversity, they are difficult to study. The methods we have develop may assist other scientists in their research.

Are there any practical applications of your research?

It can be implemented in wildlife protection strategies. It's very common to hear that we should prevent crossbreeding of animals from different species, or even populations, because it may lead to "genetic pollution" and loss of unique adaptations. I think that such opinions, although they're not without grounds, are also not entirely true. Our research shows that crossbreeding may lead to an increase in adaptive potential, which is crucial for endangered species and should be considered when planning their protection. Nevertheless, practical applications are not my priority when it comes to choosing research subjects. I deal chiefly with basic research, and I'm motivated by curiosity. I want to solve intriguing problems and understand how nature works. It may seem a little out of touch with reality, but, paradoxically, it's caused by practical reasons. I believe that in our perception of the world, we are constrained by the time and environment we live in. By focusing solely on applied research, we restrict innovation. Although the applicability of basic research is sometimes hard to imagine, it may very well be that some day someone will find surprising way to use it.

Interview by Kamil Kopij

Newt – one of the main research test subjects – photographed by M. Niedzicka.

Original text: www.nauka.uj.edu.pl

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