Genomic Legacy of the African Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus

This study sequenced and analyzed the cheetah genome, providing molecular confirmation of the species' exceptional genetic impoverishment. The authors reported very low genome-wide heterozygosity, extensive runs of homozygosity, and a marked reduction in diversity at immune-related genes, consistent with historic bottlenecks and sustained inbreeding. They identified candidate signatures in genes related to reproduction and spermatogenesis that may explain the high rate of abnormal sperm and reproductive difficulty in the species. By placing classic conservation-genetics observations on a genome-wide footing, the work clarified why cheetahs accept skin grafts from unrelated individuals and underscored the long-term fragility of the species.