03 July 2018 By Genelle Weule
Munching on eucalypt leaves would kill most other mammals, but koalas have a large number of genes that enable them to tolerate their toxic diet.
Key points
- An Australian-led team of scientists has sequenced the complete koala genome
- The genetic blueprint contains more than 26,000 genes, including a number of novel genes related to their diet and immune system
- This is important for conservation and the development of treatments for devastating diseases such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus
However, the same genes also play a role in making some drugs used to treat sick and injured animals almost useless.
