ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2831-0428
Current Organisations
The University of Edinburgh
,
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
,
TRACE Wildlife Forensics Network
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Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2023
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.10373
Abstract: The Sunda pangolin ( Manis javanica ) is the most widely distributed Asian pangolin species, occurring across much of Southeast Asia and in southern China. It is classified as Critically Endangered and is one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, which not only negatively impacts wild Sunda pangolin populations but also poses a potential disease risk to other species, including humans and livestock. Here, we aimed to investigate the species' phylogeography across its distribution to improve our understanding of the species' evolutionary history, elucidate any taxonomic uncertainties and enhance the species' conservation genetic management and potential wildlife forensics applications. We sequenced mtDNA genomes from 23 wild Sunda pangolins of known provenance originating from Malaysia to fill s ling gaps in previous studies, particularly in Borneo. To conduct phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of Sunda pangolins across their range, we integrated these newly generated mitochondrial genomes with previously generated mtDNA and nuclear DNA data sets (RAD‐seq SNP data). We identified an evolutionarily distinct mtDNA lineage in north Borneo, estimated to be ~1.6 million years ergent from lineages in west/south Borneo and the mainland, comparable to the ergence time from the Palawan pangolin. There appeared to be mitonuclear discordance, with no apparent genetic structure across Borneo based on analysis of nuclear SNPs. These findings are consistent with the ‘out of Borneo hypothesis’, whereby Sunda pangolins ersified in Borneo before subsequently migrating throughout Sundaland, and/or a secondary contact scenario between mainland and Borneo. We have elucidated possible taxonomic issues in the Sunda/Palawan pangolin complex and highlight the critical need for additional georeferenced s les to accurately apportion its range‐wide genetic variation into appropriate taxonomic and conservation units. Additionally, these data have improved forensic identification testing involving these species and permit the implementation of geographic provenance testing in some scenarios.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 21-06-2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.19.545572
Abstract: Understanding population connectivity and genetic ersity is of fundamental importance to conservation. However, in globally threatened marine megafauna, challenges remain due to their elusive nature and wide-ranging distributions. As overexploitation continues to threaten bio ersity across the globe, such knowledge gaps compromise both the suitability and effectiveness of management actions. Here, we use a comparative framework to investigate genetic differentiation and ersity of manta rays, one of the most iconic yet vulnerable groups of elasmobranchs on the planet. Despite their recent ergence, we show how oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) display significantly higher genetic ersity than reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) and that M. birostris populations display higher connectivity worldwide. Through reconstructing modes of colonisation, we reveal how both contemporary and historical forces have likely influenced these patterns, with important implications for population management. Our findings highlight the potential for fisheries to disrupt population dynamics at both local and global scales and therefore have direct relevance for international marine conservation. Population genomics of manta rays reveals striking differences in differentiation and ersity between two recently erged species.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 11-09-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.11.290486
Abstract: Orphan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are largely intractable therapeutic targets, owing to the lack of chemical tools for exploring their pharmacology. The discovery of such tools, however, is h ered by a number of unknowns, such as effector coupling and appropriate positive controls. In our 2017 Nature Chemical Biology paper 1 , we developed a computational chemical tool discovery approach called GPCR Contact-Informed Neighboring Pocket (GPCR-CoINPocket). This method predicted pharmacological similarity of GPCRs in a ligand- and structure-independent manner, to enable the discovery of off-target activities of known compounds at orphan GPCRs and hence the identification of so-called surrogate ligands. Our orphan GPCR target for prospective surrogate ligand discovery efforts was GPR37L1, a brain-specific receptor linked to cerebellar development 2 and seizures 3 . We had previously demonstrated that GPR37L1 constitutively coupled to Gαs and generated ligand-independent increases in intracellular cAMP 4§ . Thus, the inverse agonist activities of computationally predicted surrogates were tested in the cAMP response element luciferase (CRE-luc) reporter gene assay in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells expressing either vector control or what we thought was untagged GPR37L1 in pcDNA3.1. However, we recently discovered that the GPR37L1 construct used in that study was incorrect: instead of pcDNA3.1, it carried the receptor inserted backwards into a yeast p426GPD vector (hereafter referred to as p426-r37L1). Here, we correct the cloning error and describe our subsequent unsuccessful efforts to re-test the computationally predicted GPR37L1 ligands (triggering an author-initiated retraction of 1 ). We, the authors, are working with the Nature Chemical Biology Editors to retract our 2017 paper ‘Orphan receptor ligand discovery by pickpocketing pharmacological neighbors’ 1 . The present manuscript is under review at Nature Chemical Biology as a Matters Arising accompaniment to the anticipated author-initiated retraction. We initiated the steps towards the retraction upon discovering a regrettable cloning error that put into question the in vitro findings reported in 1 . This action was unanimously agreed upon by all authors. The computational aspects of the original manuscript 1 are unaffected by this error.
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 14-05-2021
DOI: 10.12688/WELLCOMEOPENRES.16631.1
Abstract: We present a genome assembly from an in idual female Aquila chrysaetos chrysaetos (the European golden eagle Chordata Aves Accipitridae). The genome sequence is 1.23 gigabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 28 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-01-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10592-022-01492-0
Abstract: Genetic ersity among and within populations of all species is necessary for people and nature to survive and thrive in a changing world. Over the past three years, commitments for conserving genetic ersity have become more ambitious and specific under the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) draft post-2020 global bio ersity framework (GBF). This Perspective article comments on how goals and targets of the GBF have evolved, the improvements that are still needed, lessons learned from this process, and connections between goals and targets and the actions and reporting that will be needed to maintain, protect, manage and monitor genetic ersity. It is possible and necessary that the GBF strives to maintain genetic ersity within and among populations of all species, to restore genetic connectivity, and to develop national genetic conservation strategies, and to report on these using proposed, feasible indicators.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.15683
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.12635
Abstract: The Coalition for Conservation Genetics (CCG) brings together four eminent organizations with the shared goal of improving the integration of genetic information into conservation policy and practice. We provide a historical context of conservation genetics as a field and reflect on current barriers to conserving genetic ersity, highlighting the need for collaboration across traditional ides, international partnerships, and coordinated advocacy. We then introduce the CCG and illustrate through ex les how a coalition approach can leverage complementary expertise and improve the organizational impact at multiple levels. The CCG has proven particularly successful at implementing large synthesis‐type projects, training early‐career scientists, and advising policy makers. Achievements to date highlight the potential for the CCG to make effective contributions to practical conservation policy and management that no one “parent” organization could achieve on its own. Finally, we reflect on the lessons learned through forming the CCG, and our vision for the future.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-06-2022
Abstract: Genetic ersity is one of the three main levels of bio ersity recognised in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Fundamental for species adaptation to environmental change, genetic ersity is nonetheless under‐reported within global and national indicators. When it is reported, the focus is often narrow and confined to domesticated or other commercial species. Several approaches have recently been developed to address this shortfall in reporting on genetic ersity of wild species. While multiplicity of approaches is helpful in any development process, it can also lead to confusion among policy makers and heighten a perception that conservation genetics is too abstract to be of use to organisations and governments. As the developers of five of the different approaches, we have come together to explain how various approaches relate to each other and propose a scorecard, as a unifying reporting mechanism for genetic ersity. Policy implications . We believe the proposed combined approach captures the strengths of its components and is practical for all nations and subnational governments. It is scalable and can be used to evaluate species conservation projects as well as genetic conservation projects.
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Rob Ogden.