IISER-Bhopal team constructs high-quality genome of peacock, provides evolutionary insight

The researchers found that the genes related to nervous system, immunity and skeletal muscle development have undergone adaptive evolution in blue and green peafowls, making the latter more endangered.

peacock, genome study, adaptation of peacock, peacock gentics, national bird, indian express

The Blue Peafowl has more pronounced adaptive evolution, possessing a higher number of expanded gene families, segmentally duplicated genes, species-specific gene clusters, and genes with evolutionary signatures. (File)

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Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Bhopal have constructed a high-quality genome of the peacock. The researchers, who also tried to understand why the green peafowl was more endangered than the blue peafowl, found that the answer lies in their genomic divergence.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Vineet Sharma, professor at the Department of Biological Sciences at IISER-Bhopal, said, “Peafowls are native to South Asia, and among them, blue peafowls are endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the largest known birds among pheasants and flying birds. Its genome is important in providing novel genomic and evolutionary insights into the molecular understanding of the phenotypic evolution of Indian peacocks.”

“Our earlier peacock genome publication was the first study to construct its draft genome. It revealed signs of adaptive evolution in genes involved in feather patterning, bone morphogenesis, and skeletal muscle development. It provided valuable clues on the phenotypes of peacocks. Although it was a draft assembly, we have now constructed a high-quality genome of blue peafowl with high contiguity,” he added.

From L to R: Mr. Abhisek Chakraborty, research scholar and Dr. Vineet K. Sharma, Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences

The researchers have published their findings in the journal Heliyon. The paper has been co-authored by Dr Sharma and a team of research scholars including Abhisek Chakraborty, Samuel Mondal and Shruti Mahajan from IISER-Bhopal. The group of scholars from the MetaBioSys Group have for the first time constructed a high-quality genome assembly to decipher the genetic secrets of India’s national bird.

In an earlier study, the team had constructed the first draft assembly of this bird species to perform a comprehensive genome-wide analysis, comparing the peacock genome with those of five other bird species. “We focused on the blue peafowl and the green peafowl. These two species of birds were chosen because, despite being the only two species from the Pavo genus, the blue peafowl is classified as a Species of Least Concern while the green peafowl faces endangerment due to a decline in population size. We wanted to understand the evolutionary and genetic reasons for their differential adaptability that makes the blue peafowl less endangered than the green,” Dr Sharma said.

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The researchers found that the genes related to nervous system development, immunity and skeletal muscle development have undergone adaptive evolution in both bird species. However, the blue peafowl has more pronounced adaptive evolution, possessing a higher number of expanded gene families, segmentally duplicated genes, species-specific gene clusters, and genes with evolutionary signatures

“Our findings highlight the distinct genomic divergence between the two Asian peafowl species and provide valuable genomic clues to explain their contrasting population sizes,” Dr Sharma said, adding that the green peafowl population appears to be more vulnerable to the consequences of habitat loss and human exploitation for food and commercial use.

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These activities have had a greater impact on their numbers, as they are less tolerant to human disturbances. The reduction in their population has resulted in decreased gene flow, increased inbreeding, and lower genetic diversity, ultimately raising the risk of extinction for this species.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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