[ad_1]
Many species of dogs have specific characteristics that betray them. The Bull Terriers have a long, flat nose, Dalmatians have their iconic spots and the pugs look like small potatoes. The Huskies, of course, have their own peculiarity in the form of frozen blue eyes, and now a team of researchers from the dog DNA start-up Embark has attempted to isolate the specific genetic whim that confers them their special felines .
The research, published in PLOS Genetics, was performed using the DNA of more than 6,000 dogs as well as questionnaires and photos provided by the owners. With a wealth of data at their disposal, researchers have been able to isolate what they believe to be the smoking gun for blue eyes.
"We used a new genomic resource – a panel of 6,070 genetically tested dogs on a platform of 214,661 high-density markers, with owners providing phenotype data via online surveys and photo downloads – for examine the genetics of blue eyes in a diverse group of breed and breed dogs, "the researchers explain.
By cross-referencing and filtering the different genetic markers that were clearly not associated with the color of blue eyes, the process of eliminating the team left them what appears to be the characteristic genetics that signals the color of blue eyes in the vast majority of dogs.
"We have discovered a haplotype containing a 98.6 kb duplication that is highly predictive of blue eyes and heterochromia in dogs," writes the team. "Although we can not permanently exclude a different typed or untyped variant on this haplotype at the origin of the trait, we believe that duplication is a plausible causal candidate worthy of further functional investigation."
In simple terms, researchers have discovered what appears to be the specific part of the genetic information signaling the creation of blue eyes. Why this particular race ended with them is a question that remains unanswered, but knowing where color comes from may one day help us answer that question.
Source link
