Dog diversity unveiled by international DNA database

The collection of close to 2,000 samples provides an unbiased view of canine genetics

11:56 AM

Author | Kelly Malcom

dogs collage
The team analyzed more than 48 million pieces of genetic information, discovering that each breed dog has around 3 million single nucleotide polymorphism differences. Photo credit: Jacob Dwyer

An international consortium of scientists, led by Jeff Kidd, Ph.D., of University of Michigan, Jennifer R. S. Meadows of Uppsala University in Sweden, and Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D. of the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, is using an unprecedentedly large database of canine DNA to take an unbiased look at how our furry friends evolved into the various breeds we know and love.

A paper, published in the journal Genome Biology, outlines what the Dog10K project discovered after sequencing the genomes of close to 2,000 samples from 321 different breed dogs, wild dogs, coyotes, and wolves, and comparing them to one reference sample—that of a German Shepherd named Mischka.

Analyzing more than 48 million pieces of genetic information, they discovered that each breed dog had around 3 million single nucleotide polymorphism differences.

These SNPs or “snips” are what account for most of the genetic variation among people and dogs alike.

They also found 26,000 deleted sequences that were present in the German Shepherd but not in the comparison breed and 14,000 that were in the compared breed but missing from Mischka’s DNA.

“We did an analysis to see how similar the dogs were to each other, and it ended up that we could divide them into around 25 major groups that pretty much match up with what people would have expected based on breed origin, the dogs’ type, size and coloration,” said Kidd, a professor of Human Genetics and Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics at the U-M Medical School.

Most of the varying genes, he added, had to do with morphology, confirming that the breed differences were driven by how the dogs look.

Relative to dogs, wolves had around 14% more variation. And wild village dogs—dogs that live amongst people in villages or cities but aren’t kept as pets—exhibited more genetic variation than breed dogs.

The data set, which was processed using the Great Lakes high-performing computing cluster at U-M, also revealed an unusual amount of retrogenes, a new gene that forms when RNA gets turned back into DNA and inserted back into the genome in a different spot.

The study found 926 retrogenes, the most famous of which, says Kidd, is a retrogene called FGF4, which results in the short leg phenotype seen in dachshunds and corgis.

“Dogs tend to have an increased amount of retrogenes which have resulted in mutations that were selected for, that perhaps people found cute and bred more of,” said Kidd.

His lab is attempting to figure out why retrogenes and insertions happen so frequently in dogs.

One of the benefits of the Dog10K consortium is its size, which will enable researchers at U-M and elsewhere to examine the genetic underpinnings of other canine characteristics and even common diseases in dogs, such as cancer.

Paper cited: “Genome sequencing of 2000 canids by the Dog10K consortium advances the understanding of demography, genome function and architecture,” Genome Biol 24. DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03023-7


More Articles About: All Research Topics Basic Science and Laboratory Research
Health Lab word mark overlaying blue cells
Health Lab

Explore a variety of healthcare news & stories by visiting the Health Lab home page for more articles.

Media Contact Public Relations

Department of Communication at Michigan Medicine

[email protected]

734-764-2220

Stay Informed

Want top health & research news weekly? Sign up for Health Lab’s newsletters today!

Subscribe
Featured News & Stories grey needle into cell blue
Health Lab
Mouse model of gender-affirming testosterone treatment and fertility finds decrease in egg yield but not quality
The current IVF recommendation is for transgender patients to stop taking gender-affirming hormones before the procedure, which can be costly and life changing. Now, a team of researchers are diving in further to investigate what the best recommendations should be based on more evidence.
white bowls with allergens in each one
Health Lab
Measuring skin water loss predicts anaphylaxis during food allergy tests
Measuring skin water loss during food allergy tests may help predict anaphylaxis and keep patients safe. The method aims to detect the life threatening reaction before epinephrine injections are necessary
cells in green and purple and black background under microscope
Health Lab
Tiny model organs detect liver toxicity of new drugs
A University of Michigan-led study provided evidence of the efficacy of a new drug-induced liver injury screening platform using human liver organoids, or tiny 3D models of organs developed from patients’ stem cells that grow in petri dishes.
vial of blood in container lab blue yellow grainy graphic
Health Lab
Drawing a tube of blood could assess ALS risk from environmental toxin exposure
Investigators have developed an environmental risk score that assesses a person’s risk for developing ALS, as well as for survival after diagnosis, using a blood sample.
ginger bunch
Health Lab
Could ginger help treat autoimmune disease symptoms?
Michigan Medicine researchers are examining whether ginger supplements could help treat symptoms in autoimmune diseases
Health Lab
Hungry for more
Metabolism pathways make tumors sensitive or resistant to treatments. A collaborative group leverages these avenues to explore the growing foundation of new potential therapies