The small pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus) is endangered partly because climate change threatens its habitat. By comparing DNA from historical specimens with that of modern mice, researchers have tracked how the genome has changed.
They identified several genes that control bodily functions that help the mouse cope with extreme heat, such as constricting or dilating blood vessels and regulating heart rate.
The findings are important because they show that genetic variation in the mice acts as a kind of evolutionary insurance, allowing them to continue adapting and surviving even as the environment changes.
