Reviving “Ghost” Genomic Variation in the Endangered Red Wolf: A Precedent for Unconventional Species Conservation
2026 Faculty Research Award
AWARD PERIOD: 2026-2028
The red wolf (Canis rufus) is one of North America’s most critically endangered canids. Human persecution drove the species to the brink of extinction during the 20th century, and red wolves now exist only in captivity and small reintroduced wild populations. However, because this captive-bred population descends from only 14 ancestors, it is severely lacking in genetic diversity, which makes the wolves less able to adapt to environmental variation. But some wild canids may hold other extant genes. That’s because, as red wolf populations plummeted, some interbred with coyotes (Canis latrans), and the genetic “ghosts” of this interbreeding likely exist in coyotes today. To aid red wolf conservation efforts, Bridgett vonHoldt, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will investigate whether additional genetic diversity exists in red wolf-coyote hybrids that roam the Gulf Coast. Ghost genes are unobservable in an animal’s outer appearance because they are suppressed by molecular regulatory mechanisms, but their presence can be revealed through genomic sequencing. To identify ghost genes and understand their molecular regulation, vonHoldt’s team will sequence the genomes of captive-bred red wolves, red wolf-coyote hybrids, and coyotes. By identifying and characterizing red wolf ghost genes, this project will establish a framework for monitoring red wolf genetic diversity and inform conservation strategies aimed at reviving lost ancestral variation in red wolves and other critically endangered species.
Participating Department
Faculty
