For the first time, scientists at the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have decoded the genome of the flowerpot snake (Indotyphlops braminus), uncovering new insights into its evolutionary mystery.
The findings, published Thursday in the international journal Science Advances, highlight the snake's unique ability to reproduce without mating and its rare genetic trait of having three sets of chromosomes instead of the usual two.
The flowerpot snake, a small species measuring only a few dozen centimeters and resembling an earthworm, is one of the smallest snakes in the world. It is often unintentionally spread through potted soil, earning its name. This unique way of spreading has helped it become widespread globally.
"We found that the genome of the flowerpot snake underwent significant changes in chromosome number during the evolutionary process. The ancestral genome of the flowerpot snake underwent a rapid speciation event approximately 41 million years ago, leading to chromosomal fusion," said Li Jiatang, a researcher at Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This research provides insights into the evolutionary adaptations and genetic mechanisms underlying parthenogenesis in reptilian species, challenging traditional views on reproductive strategies and genomic evolution in asexual organisms.
Chinese scientists decode flowerpot snake genome in landmark study
An international academic symposium was held on Saturday at the Xizang Museum in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, to mark the 75th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of the region.
Perched on the Roof of the World, the Xizang Museum is the first modern museum on the plateau.
On the 75th anniversary of Xizang's peaceful liberation, it welcomed a group of international scholars to reflect on the region's transformation and future.
Greening efforts on the highest region on Earth have seen major strides.
Forest coverage has risen from less than 1 percent in 1951 to 12.5 percent today.
"Even here you see around the mountains of Lhasa here, the massive large-scale plantation. There is a big lesson to learn now to other parts of the world and other countries also to come. This is the conservation. We should move this way," said Krishna Prasad Oli, former Nepali ambassador to China. Nestled in the Himalayas is not just Xizang's natural beauty, but its unique culture.
Over the past few decades, the central government has invested billions of yuan in the region's heritage protection.
"In general there are so many rumors that are just not true. For example, there are rumors in our media that China suppresses the Tibetan language. A very simple thing is on the street that you see signs and two languages everywhere (in Mandarin and in Tibetan). Even in Austria and the minority areas, there are big discussions if we should write something in minority languages. But in China it is not a problem. So China's handling this is far better than Austria," said Georg, Vavra, an Austrian historian.
The most ambitious and costly undertaking on the plateau since its liberation has been building modern infrastructure.
Today, Xizang boasts a network of roads and railways that continues to expand.
"It just so happens that yesterday I traveled by train from Nyingchi to Lhasa. The UK is a country of 60 million people and has been struggling and failing for 17 years to build 150 kilometers of high speed rail. Now if you consider Xizang with a population of 4 or 5 million, they could never undertake a project of that scale, and that is what China is trying to do. China is the only country in the world that has a genuine interest in the prosperity and the development of Xizang," said David Ferguson, a Scottish commentator.
Beyond traditional industries, emerging sectors are also taking root in China's western frontier.
"In the 75 years since its peaceful liberation, Xizang has built its scientific and technological capabilities from the ground up. It has become a driving force behind the region's economic and social progress," said Nyima Tashi, a professor with the School of Information Science and Technology under Xizang University.
Int'l scholars gather in Xizang to review regional development over past 75 years
