Olfactory receptor sequence polymorphism within and between breeds of dogs.
Olfactory receptors, to which odorant molecules specifically bind, are encoded by the largest gene family yet identified in the mammalian genome. We investigated additional polymorphism due to the possible existence of multiple alleles dispersed in different dog breeds by carrying out a survey of the sequences of 16 olfactory receptor genes in a sample of 95 dogs of 20 different breeds. The level of polymorphism was high--all genes were found to have allelic variants--leading to amino acid changes and pseudogenization of some alleles in a number of cases. This preliminary study also revealed that some alleles are breed specific (or rare in the dog population), with some representing the major allele in the breeds concerned.
Tacher
Sandrine
S
UMR 6061,Génétique et Développement CNRS-Université de Rennes 1, France.
Quignon
Pascale
P
Rimbault
Maud
M
Dreano
Stephane
S
Andre
Catherine
C
Galibert
Francis
F
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004285:Dogs / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods
D018035:Receptors, Odorant