The techniques used by molecular ecologists have increased our understanding of the size, composition and genetic diversity of animal populations, which is invaluable in the areas of conservation and species management. This is especially important for the critically endangered Northern Hairy-nosed wombat, whose single population was estimated to comprise only 113 individuals in 2003. Conservation of this species requires protection of the wombats and their habitat, in addition captive management programs and the translocation of a small number of individuals to create a second viable population. TO be effective, these actions require parentage and pedigree analysis, as well as knowledge of the reproductive status and age of individuals in the population. However, age is one factor often excluded from population analysis and modelling. Of the techniques presently used to determine the age of individuals in wild populations, none are suitable for wombats. Therefore, any technique which could accurately estimate the age of wombats would be a great benefit to the study of these animals, especially in the case of the endangered Northern Hairy-nosed wombats.
Telomeres are conserved DNA repeats found at the ends of all linear eukaryotic chromosomes. The role of telomeres is to protect chromosomes, and the genetic information they contain, from degradation. Put simply, telomeres are progressively shortened over time due to a number of factors, such as incomplete cell division and oxidative stress. It is, therefore, analysis of the correlation between telomere shortening and age that will form the basis of this research.
One of the most promising methods of telomere length measurement is quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), whereby telomere sequences are amplified using specially designed primers. Most importantly, amplification is measured in real-time, which allows detailed quantitative analysis of each individual reaction. My initial objective is to develop and optimise a method for the measurement of telomere length in wombats. Once this has been achieved, I hope to determine if this technique is suitable for the estimation of age in wombat populations.
