The Tiger Genome and Comparative Analysis with Lion and Snow Leopard Genomes

This study produced the first reference genome of the tiger, sequenced from an Amur tiger, and compared it with newly generated lion and snow leopard genome data. The authors identified genetic signatures of the obligate hypercarnivore lifestyle, including genes related to protein metabolism, muscle strength, and sensory perception, and they detected candidate adaptations in the snow leopard for life at high altitude, such as changes in genes affecting hypoxia response. The work provided the genomic foundation for big-cat comparative biology, supplied markers for tiger conservation genetics, and demonstrated how sequencing a few representative species can illuminate the molecular basis of predatory specialization.