Sample collection and DNA/RNA extraction
A single adult male Tasmanian scrubtit was captured using a mist net at Weilangta Forest in south-eastern Tasmania and transported immediately to Hobart where it was euthanized by a veterinary surgeon (Australian National University Animal Research Authority A2021/33). The sample was dissected at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery specimens collection, where brain and organ tissue were preserved in RNALater before being stored at -80˚C. High molecular weight (HMW) DNA was extracted from heart and kidney tissue using the Nanobind Tissue Big DNA Kit v1.0 11/19 (Circulomics). A Qubit fluorometer was used to assess the concentration of DNA with the Qubit dsDNA BR assay kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific). RNA was extracted from six organs preserved in RNALater, using the RNeasy Plus Mini Kit (Qiagen) with RNAse-free DNAse (Qiagen) digestion. Extractions were performed using tissue from the heart, brain, spleen, kidney, liver and gonads.