Dog Genome Shows Similarities to Humans
Researchers have finished mapping the genome of the domestic dog.
The results show among other things that dogs, mice, and humans share a core set of DNA.
The researchers obtained the gene data from Tasha, a female boxer picked from a selection of dogs made available by breeding clubs and veterinary schools.
The geneticists sequenced the 2.4 billion “letters” of the dog’s DNA code, representing 39 chromosome pairs. Humans by comparison have 23 chromosome pairs.
Scientists had previously found that about 5 percent of the human genome sequence appears in the mouse genome. The new study shows that 5 percent of the human genome is also shared with dogs.
Significantly, the sequences that are conserved in all three species are virtually the same.
The comparison could help scientists find the genetic roots of dog behavior and physiology and—perhaps most importantly—help them identify genes that cause diseases in both dogs and humans.
To understand the genetic basis for this diversity, the researchers compared DNA samples from another ten dog breeds.
They also compiled a catalogue of 2.5 million genetic units that vary between different dogs. The units will help researchers identify nearby genes that are responsible for traits such as disease susceptibility.
Expert says that, the fact that only a few breeds typically show a disease means that by searching for genetic dissimilarities between breeds, there is a decent chance of finding genes that cause the [disease] between breeds.
Dogs suffer from more than 350 genetic disorders, many of which resemble human conditions. The most common diseases among purebred dogs include cancer, epilepsy, heart disease, allergies, retinal disease, and cataracts.
This research increases the possibility of using dogs as a model for human disease.
The study could also help researchers identify genes that govern behavioral traits, such as aggressiveness or kindness.
In addition, the data suggests how dogs were domesticated. The amount of genetic diversity across breeds is consistent with a “bottleneck”—a strong reduction in genetic variety—that occurred between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago.
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