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Researchers Decode Dog Genome
NY Times ^ | December 7, 2005 | NICHOLAS WADE

Posted on 12/07/2005 5:14:45 PM PST by neverdem

Researchers have decoded the dog genome to a high degree of accuracy, allowing deep insights into the evolutionary history not only of Canis familiaris but also of its devoted companion species, Homo sapiens.

The dog whose genome has been sequenced is Tasha, a female boxer whose owners wish to remain anonymous, said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, a biologist at the Broad Institute in Cambridge who led a large group of colleagues in the DNA sequencing effort. Their findings are being reported in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

The world's dog population numbers some 400 million, divided into about 400 breeds. The researchers chose to sequence Tasha's genome because boxers are quite inbred, easing the decoding task, and because since she is a female, they did not have to bother with a Y chromosome, whose long palindromic regions make it particularly hard slogging.

One insight that has emerged from having a fairly complete dog genome, in addition to those for humans and mice, is that researchers can begin to see the essence of what makes a mammal. The same 5 percent of DNA is conserved in all three species, and this presumably is evolution's basic toolkit for constructing a generic mammal.

Of this conserved tool kit, some 2 percent consists of known genes and the rest of something else, presumably the regulatory elements of DNA that control the operation of the protein-encoding genes, Dr. Lindblad-Toh said.

The conserved genes probably include those deployed during development to construct the organism, But many regulatory elements also seem to be needed, so as to orchestrate an elaborate succession of genes being switched off and on as new tissues and organs are generated.

Another finding that has emerged from a three-way comparison of dog, mouse and human is that genes for brain function seem to have...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: crevolist; doggieping; genes; genetics; godsgravesglyphs
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To: brytlea
By all means send pics! I love to look at dog pics, and I have a soft spot for Goldens. I almost got one, but couldn't stick the hair . . . but many of Shelley's good doggie friends are Goldens and she seems to especially enjoy their company.

I don't think the situation with the immune system in the Labs is QUITE as bad as in Goldens, the major problems seem to be with hips and eyes and oddball cancers.

I subscribe to the Golden Retriever News because there's just no equivalent magazine for Labs, I mean with good solid medical and training advice (Just Labs is just a photo mag for doting owners).

My girl was originally training in obedience and was probably ready for CD, but my trainer said she thought she would be happier in agility. She was . . . but now that she's settled down a bit we might go back and try for it. If we can get the running down, she might be able to do CDX now. I think JH is achievable (she already has her UKC Started Retriever title) but there's no way this sweet girl is EVER going to get even a single conformation point. A cousin of mine is an AKC judge, we were at a family reunion and I asked her as a favor to watch my dog trot out and back. When she stopped laughing, she told me all the things that are "wrong" with Shelley - she's got sort of a conformation front end but a field trial hind end (feet set down too close together in back - although of course that's great for the dog walk) and a very fieldy head. And of course she's TOO SKINNY!

You can see what we're dealing with here -


41 posted on 12/08/2005 7:04:39 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: brytlea
"Ya gotta know what yer doin'.... ;)"

That's asking a lot. My dogs are considered the brains of the operation. I just pay the vet bills and drive.

42 posted on 12/08/2005 7:04:44 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum.)
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To: Joe 6-pack
Image hosted by TinyPic.com
43 posted on 12/08/2005 7:11:11 AM PST by apackof2 (You can stand me up at the gates of hell, I'll stand my ground and I won’t back down)
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To: neverdem
MY Baby Hannah - RIP
44 posted on 12/08/2005 7:22:45 AM PST by SengirV
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To: apackof2; brytlea


45 posted on 12/08/2005 8:01:36 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum.)
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To: AnAmericanMother
I hope I'm doing this right:
This was my old girl when she was probably about 12 yrs.
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

46 posted on 12/08/2005 8:11:30 AM PST by brytlea (I'm not a conspiracy theorist....really.)
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To: brytlea
What a sweetie! "Here, gimme five!"

She has a lovely face, and she looks wonderful for twelve.

47 posted on 12/08/2005 8:12:31 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: Joe 6-pack

Had a shepherd growing up. She was a GREAT dog, but she was a sucker for skunks and porcupines. She always *thought* she would win. Evidence suggests she never did!

susie


48 posted on 12/08/2005 8:12:48 AM PST by brytlea (I'm not a conspiracy theorist....really.)
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To: AnAmericanMother

She actually died at about 12 yrs and 7 months. She was only sick for 6 weeks. She came from some really long lived lines. I wish all of my dogs could be as healthy into old age as she was. In fact, I hope I am as healthy into old age as she was!

You're lab looks great to me, but I happen to not care as much for the conformation body type on labs. Your dog looks like she could work!
susie


49 posted on 12/08/2005 8:15:18 AM PST by brytlea (I'm not a conspiracy theorist....really.)
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To: brytlea
My dog is a workin' fool. She's simply full of energy and determination.

The last time we were out retriever training, we set up a 75 yard mark across a draw or gully from the line - the draw was deep, a little damp, and overgrown with grass, probably 18" high. When I gave the word Shelley took off from the line like an arrow, went sailing down into the draw, and she must have stepped in a hole because she tumbled end over end TWICE. She didn't miss a beat or swerve an inch from her line, kept right on going and grabbed that duck . . . her legs were still churning as she went pinwheeling through the air. And she pulled up completely sound - just a tough little girl.

When she leaves the line, you kind of expect a sonic boom . . . the first time she ever saw a duck fall down, she knew that was what she was born to do.


Her first mark on her first hunt test.

We keep her on the skinny side to save her joints, on account of all the jumping impact in agility.

50 posted on 12/08/2005 8:23:42 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: SengirV

What an adorable Rottie! And such a sweet expression (no doubt anticipating more treats?)


51 posted on 12/08/2005 8:24:09 AM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: neverdem; HairOfTheDog
The world's dog population numbers some 400 million

I'm really surprised it's that small, compared to 6 billion humans.
52 posted on 12/08/2005 8:30:45 AM PST by pcottraux (It's pronounced "P. Coe-troe.")
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To: southernnorthcarolina
But a nice (and apparently prosperous) lady from Warsaw is paying for it. So I won't complain;

God Bless Ronald Reagan.

.....;^)

53 posted on 12/08/2005 8:39:53 AM PST by elbucko
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To: brytlea
My big boy turned 7 in September and is mellowing very nicely with age. He's always been a gentleman with other dogs and kids, but has a record of trying to identify all other species by taste (as I recently recounted to another FReeper, he once came home with what I initially thought was some extraterrestial being, later determined to be a box turtle he had 'unwrapped' for me.)

The little guy is a Hurricane Katrina refugee from New Orleans I adopted about 1-2 months ago. True to his heritage, he's a born looter, pilferer and thief; however his big brother keeps him in line.

54 posted on 12/08/2005 9:09:46 AM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum.)
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To: AnAmericanMother

She was the BEST. A big cuddlebug who had an amazing disposition. We lost her the night of the last Superbowl. She went to sleep and never woke up. Nothing obviously wrong as she was in good spirits that whole weekend.

Whenever I hear anyone badmouth Rotties, I simply know that have never met one like my Hannah. I don't know a single person who met her that didn't come away with a new(favorable) opinion of Rotties.


55 posted on 12/08/2005 9:37:29 AM PST by SengirV
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To: brytlea; neverdem
Well, once again I've been complicit in taking a thread off its original topic. Apologies, neverdem!

Susie, I must say I've learned more about artificial collection and insemination than I ever thought I would. Chilled semen can be shipped relatively economically, and with relatively little bureaucratic interference throughout the U.S. and Canada. But sending frozen semen, in a liquid nitrogen capsule, to Europe will burn a hole in your wallet, and the regulations are horrific.

And yes, those pups are Weimaraners. Weimar, Germany, where the breed originated, isn't far from the Polish border. We might have a "sending coals to Newcastle" thing going on. More shots of the pups, and their father, who I own, on my home page.

56 posted on 12/08/2005 9:40:11 AM PST by southernnorthcarolina (I've upped my standards! Up yours!)
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To: neverdem

Dog genome decoded, leads scientists to describe dog behaviour programming as: "If you can't eat it or screw it, piss on it."


57 posted on 12/08/2005 9:47:37 AM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys - Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat - But they know what's best.)
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To: neverdem

Calling someone a b*tch (or son of one) now takes on new meaning.


58 posted on 12/08/2005 4:18:43 PM PST by MoochPooch (A righteous person worries about his or her behavior, an extremist about everyone else's.)
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Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

59 posted on 01/30/2006 9:03:04 AM PST by SunkenCiv (In the long run, there is only the short run.)
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