Bold Russian geneticist who explained domestication with experiments on silver foxes dies

Bold Russian geneticist who explained domestication with experiments on silver foxes dies

lee alan dugatkin & Aaron Dugatkin

Lyudmila Trudt, the geneticist who led a decades-long experiment in producing hundreds of extremely adorable domesticated foxes on her farm in Novosibirsk, Russia, was just shy of her 91st birthday in October. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on the 9th. For the past 60 years, the work Trudt and his colleagues have conducted on the silver fox, a variant of the red fox, has become the gold standard for understanding the domestication process.

When Tutto, 25, graduated from Moscow State University in 1958, he took a big risk. Geneticist Dmitri Belyaev conducted experiments on foxes, a close relative of dogs, to better understand how the domestication process unfolds and what evolutionary forces are at play. I asked her to lead the. The risks lie not only in the fact that it takes decades to carry out domestication experiments with large mammals, but also in the fact that the megalomaniac Soviet agronomist Trofim Lysenko called the Mendelians — he called them “Westerners” — The blame lies in the fact that genetics exacerbated the famine that killed millions of people. It still held enough power in the Soviet Union to imprison people for conducting genetic research that was central to silver fox domestication experiments. Tutto saw the potential of science and accepted the risks. For the next 66 years, she adopted the motto of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and devoted her life to experimenting with it. little prince: “You are forever responsible for what you tame.”

The radical idea Belyaev (who died in 1985) and Truitt sought to test was the domestication syndrome: floppy ears, curly tails, juvenile facial and body features, and mottled fur. It was a phenomenon in which domesticated species share a set of characteristics. This is the result of our ancestors consistently breeding the calmest and friendliest animals during the early stages of domestication. They further hypothesized that all traits associated with domestication syndrome are linked to genes associated with calmness and a tendency to exhibit friendly behavior toward humans. Initially, Truitt measured how the foxes reacted when they approached their cages, opened the door, and put their hands inside the cages, which were protected by very thick elbow-length gloves. , tested on foxes. The gentlest foxes were chosen to breed the next generation. Over time, the details of that protocol have changed, but the basic approach has remained the same. Ultimately, the results of the experiment supported Trut and Belyaev’s ideas and revolutionized scientific understanding of domestication.

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We visited Novosibirsk in winter 2012 and winter 2014 to write a book about fox experiments. Mr. Trout, the scientist, was certainly in full gear during his visit and was eager to give us details of what happened during his experiments. But what really struck me was how kind and caring she was. On my first visit, when I landed at Tolmachevo Airport on a frigid Siberian winter night, I knew a driver would pick me up and take me to my hotel. What we didn’t know was that 78-year-old Tutto was also there, smiling and welcoming American guests to her beloved homeland.

Trut, a devoted host who made us feel at home in a faraway land, treated us every morning with an assortment of local sweets and an offering of “Would you like coffee or tea?” They welcomed us. Which quickly changed to “coffee, tea, or hot chocolate”? When she had a hunch that one of us (Aaron Dugatkin), who was a teenager at the time, might appreciate something like that. A few days later, amidst this steady stream of snacks, Trutt told me a moving story about Pushinka, a special fox who lived with him for several months in a small house on an experimental farm in the early 1970s. I did. The aim of the experiment was to determine whether foxes had already been created that were gentle and friendly enough for humans to live with them in the same way as dogs. During their time together, Trud and Pushinka developed an amazing bond. Pushinka sneaked into Trutt’s bedroom late at night and lounged next to her in bed. And when Pushinka gave birth, she picked up one of the newborns and placed it on Truitt’s lap. Trudt took Pushinka and the puppy for walks, played with them and called their names. In just 15 generations of selective breeding, this experiment created foxes that can coexist with humans.

By the time we visited, the house had fallen into a state of disrepair, but even though there was more than two feet of snow on the ground, Truitt, who was only five feet tall, was able to help us. He insisted on taking me there. Please guide me through the frigid abandoned building. It was the least she could do for her guests and for her dear friend Pushinka.

Essentially humble, Mr. Truitt often answered questions about his role on the Fox project with a nod to his mentor Mr. Belyaev. But it was Truitt who devised the specific experiment and led the research day in and day out – over 23,000 days. This effort required more than just scientific skills. In the 1990s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and major changes in the Russian government, funding for science stalled and fox experiments were on the verge of ending. True won’t allow it. One day, she and her team stood on the side of the road near the experimental farm, waving at passing cars, asking for donations to keep the beloved foxes fed and healthy and the experiment continuing. She also got in touch and published an article american scientist It not only detailed the groundbreaking research they had already done, but also explained why the experiment was being done. must To be continued. The article generated enough publicity (and funding) to save the day and keep the experiment alive.

Toward the end of our last visit, we asked Truitt about her hopes for the future. “One day I’ll be gone, but I want the foxes to live forever,” she answered.

This is an opinion and analysis article and the views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the author. scientific american.