{"id":294,"date":"2025-07-08T13:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T13:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/wildscience\/?p=294"},"modified":"2025-07-08T13:00:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T13:00:03","slug":"prairie-dogs-found-with-genes-that-beat-the-black-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/wildscience\/2025\/07\/08\/prairie-dogs-found-with-genes-that-beat-the-black-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Prairie Dogs Found With Genes That Beat the Black Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

A small band of prairie dogs that survived one of nature’s most devastating bacterial killers has revealed genetic secrets that could reshape how scientists approach wildlife disease outbreaks. These Colorado survivors carry DNA variants that helped them withstand sylvatic plague\u2014the same pathogen that caused the Black Death in medieval Europe.<\/p>\n

When plague swept through Boulder County prairie dog colonies between 2006 and 2009, it killed over 95% of the population within weeks. But seven individuals not only survived infection with Yersinia pestis, they developed antibodies and lived to see another year. Their whole-genome sequences, compared against seven prairie dogs that perished, reveal the first genetic roadmap for plague resistance in a keystone wildlife species.<\/p>\n

Shared Survival Genes Across Species<\/h2>\n

The most striking discovery centers on a gene called ICOS (Inducible T-Cell Stimulator), which enhances immune responses to foreign threats. This same gene variant was associated with human survival during London’s Black Death outbreaks, suggesting that certain genetic defenses against plague have remained consistent across vastly different mammalian lineages for centuries.<\/p>\n

“One candidate gene, inducible T-cell stimulator (ICOS), was also associated with survival in humans during the Black Death in London (United Kingdom), suggesting conservation of gene function across taxonomically diverse lineages,” the researchers noted in PNAS Nexus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The study identified genetic signatures of adaptation across five DNA regions, with evidence pointing toward a complex, multi-gene defense system rather than a single “resistance gene.” Three additional candidate genes belong to the same functional classes as plague-resistance genes found in great gerbils, supporting the idea that evolution may repeatedly target similar molecular pathways when fighting this ancient bacterial enemy.<\/p>\n

T-Cells Hold the Key<\/h2>\n

The genetic analysis reveals that T-cell activity appears central to plague survival. Several identified genes directly regulate immune processes, including proteins involved in inflammation response and bacterial clearance within cells. This finding bridges a knowledge gap about how mammals’ immune systems initially respond to Y. pestis infection.<\/p>\n

Notable resistance-associated genes include:<\/p>\n