Shetland Sheepdog
Dog Genome May Shed Light On Human Disease
Scientists have succeeded in sequencing the dog genome, an accomplishment that could lead to better health for humans as well as canines. An international team of researchers have published their detailed analysis in the journal Nature. Not all is linked with dog food secrets when talking about how to care for your dog.
“Of the more than 5,500 mammals living today, dogs are arguably the most remarkable,” says senior author Eric Lander, PhD, director of the Broad Institute at of MIT and Harvard. He is a professor of biology at MIT and systems biology at Harvard Medical School, as well as a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.
“The incredible physical and behavioral diversity of dogs — from Chihuahuas to Great Danes — is encoded in their genomes. It can uniquely help us understand embryonic development, neurobiology, human disease and the basis of evolution,” Dr. Lander notes.
Powerful Tool
“When compared with the genomes of human and other important organisms, the dog genome provides a powerful tool for identifying genetic factors that contribute to human health and disease,” says Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which supported the research.
“This milestone is especially gratifying because it will also directly benefit veterinary researchers’ efforts to better understand and treat diseases afflicting our loyal canine companions,” Dr. Collins adds.
Humans domesticated the dog, Canis familiaris, from gray wolves as long as 100,000 years ago. As a result of selective breeding over the past few centuries, modern dog breeds present a model of diversity. Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which supported the research.
Such breeding practices preserve preferred traits of one generation in the next, but they also predispose many dog breeds to genetic disorders, including heart disease, cancer, blindness, cataracts, epilepsy, hip dysplasia and deafness.
The research group found that while different breeds show amazing physical diversity, they often share large segments of their DNA, likely reflecting their recent shared origin. As a result, genetic tools being developed at the Broad Institute and NHGRI for any one breed of dog are likely to be useful in genetic experiments in nearly any breed.
Evolutionary Tree
While dogs occupy a special place in human hearts, they also sit at a key branch point, relative to humans, in the evolutionary tree. It was already known that humans share more of their ancestral DNA with dogs than with mice. The availability of the dog genome sequence has allowed researchers to describe a common set of genetic elements -- representing about 5 percent of the human genome -- that are preferentially preserved among human, dog and mouse.
Rather than being evenly distributed, some of these elements are crowded around just a small fraction of the genes in the genome. Future studies of these clusters may give scientists the critical insight needed to unravel how genomes work.
Elaine A. Ostrander, PhD, chief of NHGRI's Cancer Genetics Branch, is a co-author of the Nature paper, along with postdoctoral research fellows, Heidi G. Parker and Nate B. Sutter. In addition, Dr. Ostrander is the lead author of the white paper that sets forth the biomedical rationale for sequencing the dog genome.
Dr. Ostrander’s laboratory maps genes responsible for susceptibility to cancer — including breast and prostate cancers — in canines and humans.
“The leading causes of death in dogs are a variety of cancers, and many of them are very similar biologically to human cancers.” says Dr. Ostrander. “Using the dog genome sequence in combination with the human genome sequence will help researchers to narrow their search for many more of the genetic contributors underlying cancer and other major diseases.”
Genetic Compass
Efforts to create the genetic tools needed for mapping disease genes in dogs have gained momentum over the last 15 years, and already include a partial survey of the poodle genome. More than two years ago, Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, PhD, co-director of the genome sequencing and analysis program at the Broad Institute, and colleagues embarked on a two-part project to assemble a complete map of the dog genome.
First, they acquired high-quality DNA sequence covering nearly 99 percent of the dog genome from a female boxer named Tasha. The boxer was chosen as a representative of the average purebred dog to produce what has become a reference sequence for the dog-genome community.
Using the sequence information as a genetic "compass," they navigated the genomes of 10 different dog breeds and other related canine species, including the gray wolf and the coyote.
The researchers identified roughly 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, sprinkled throughout the dog genome. SNPs are variations in the DNA code, some of which contribute to diseases or the overall health of a dog.
SNPs also can be used to create a set of coordinates with which to survey genetic changes, both within and across dog breeds. These efforts revealed that individual breeds have maintained a large amount of genetic variability, despite their long history of restrictive breeding.
In practical terms, this means that future efforts to locate disease genes in dogs can be much narrower in scope than comparable human studies, requiring a smaller number of genetic markers and DNA samples collected from the blood or cheek from only a few hundred dogs. You might also want to read secrets to dog training review and more about Animal Care
Dogs 101- Shetland Sheepdog
|
|
Set of Four Shetland Sheepdog Ambiance Coasters – Style vpa18 $12.99 Set of 4 Absorbent Coasters.Cork-backed to protect furniture.Large surface area (4.5 inches in diameter) to catch more drips.Printed and packaged in the USA (no decals).Approximate weight: 1.5 lbs. per set…. |
|
|
Shetland Sheepdog Dog Cookie Jar by Barbara Van Vliet $39.99 The Ceramic Cookie/Treat Jar is an amusing canister that holds treats and other pet food. Think of this as a candy jar for your pet. The durable dog food container is easy to clean and will look great on your countertop for years to come. The jar is approx 10″ tall and have a seal-able lid, and will always keep treats fresh and always tasting good!… |
|
|
SHELTIE (SHETLAND SHEEPDOG) POTHOLDER AND TOWEL GIFT SET $19.95 Beautiful items catering to dog enthusiasts who spend time in the kitchen, this decorative dog breed set includes a dish towel and potholder. The towel is made from absorbent cotton and measures approximately 17″ x 28″. The potholder is quilted with color coordinated trim and measures approximately 7″ x 7″. Each kitchen set is packaged in a protective cellophane bag and makes a nice gift item… |
|
|
AKC American Kennel Club Shetland Sheepdog … |
|
|
The American Kennel Club Video Series (Shetland Sheepdog) Presentation from the AKC on this wonderful breed. Shetland Sheepdogs…. |
|
|
Breed All About It: Shetland Sheepdog (Sheep Dog) (Animal Planet – Discovery Channel Video) Part of an Animal Planet series on dog breeds…. |
|
|
Shetland Sheepdog/Sheltie (Love is being owned by) Door Sign 5”x10” $8.49 A perfect item to décor your home, and hang in any room to show the passion about this cute dog breed. Indoor only. Size: 5”x10” & Made in USA… |
|
|
Shetland Sheepdog Porcelain Fan / Light Pull $6.99 Handcrafted to the highest standards by “Decoration Sensation”. We also offer matching Outlet Covers, Double Size Switchplates, Triple Size Switchplates, Rocker GFI Covers, Combo Switchplates, Phone and Cable Covers. We guarantee your complete satisfaction or money back. We are sure you will be delighted with these unique items. Items will arrive via USPS and a tracking # will be sent to you. Also… |
|
|
Dog Night Light – Westie – West Highland Terrier – LED NIGHT LIGHT $18.49 This is a very nice Westie night light. This image truly does light up beautifully when lit and is perfect for any room in the house. This light makes a very unique gift and perfect as a stocking stuffer, office gift, or grab bag gift. Photographic image is printed in the USA using high quality inks and is very colorful. **PLEASE NOTE** Unlike cheaper night lights, the light bulb on these decorati… |
|
|
Basenji, Bullmastif, Shetland Sheepdog, Coton de Tulear, Wonder Dogs, Grea $1.99 … |
Tags: animals, dog, dogs, sheepdog, shetland, shetland sheepdog, shetland sheepdog breeders, shetland sheepdog puppies, shetland sheepdog rescue, shetland sheepdog sheltie
This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 at 9:23 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.