How the cheetah got its SPEED

Sprinting across the African plains at speeds of more than 62 mph (100km/h) the African cheetah is the world’s fastest animal on land.

But how did it become so fast?

Scientists have sequenced the genome of a cheetah named Chewbaaka to discover 11 genes have mutated over the generations, to give the cat its blistering speed.

A combination of the cheetah’s elongated legs, slim aerodynamic skulls, enlarged heart and semi-retractable claws that grip the earth ‘like a runner’s shoes’ allow it to race after prey.

They found that three million years since the cheetah first appeared, 11 genes have mutated to increase the cheetah’s muscle contraction and stress response, increasing their ability to run incredibly fast.

‘Certain genes that mediate energy metabolism showed selective acceleration and are candidates for the cheetah’s adaptions to high-speed pursuit,’

A total of five genes ‘with signatures of selection’ – ADORA1, RGS2, SCN5A, ADRA1 and CACNA1C – were found to relate for the regulation of the heart and muscle contraction.

Two genes – TAOK2 and ADORA1 were involved with stress response, while certain genetic duplications suggested ‘gene regions and plausible gene candidates that might influence cheetah energetics, nutrition and sensory adaptations.’

‘These selected, expanded or duplicated genes are all possible explanatory candidates for mediating the cheetah’s adaptation to high-speed acceleration and short-term endurance,’ the researchers wrote. 

Despite their ability to hunt prey at speed, there are only 10,000 cheetahs living in southern and eastern Africa today – and it’s not because they are going hungry.

The DNA study also revealed the cheetah has less than five per cent of the genomic diversity of other wild cats, meaning it is at a disadvantage when it comes to producing healthy offspring and fighting disease.

Source: Daily mail

N.H.Kh