Canine candidate genes for dilated cardiomyopathy: annotation of and polymorphic markers for 14 genes.
BACKGROUND
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a myocardial disease occurring in humans and domestic animals and is characterized by dilatation of the left ventricle, reduced systolic function and increased sphericity of the left ventricle. Dilated cardiomyopathy has been observed in several, mostly large and giant, dog breeds, such as the Dobermann and the Great Dane. A number of genes have been identified, which are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy in the human, mouse and hamster. These genes mainly encode structural proteins of the cardiac myocyte.


RESULTS
We present the annotation of, and marker development for, 14 of these genes of the dog genome, i.e. alpha-cardiac actin, caveolin 1, cysteine-rich protein 3, desmin, lamin A/C, LIM-domain binding factor 3, myosin heavy polypeptide 7, phospholamban, sarcoglycan delta, titin cap, alpha-tropomyosin, troponin I, troponin T and vinculin. A total of 33 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms were identified for these canine genes and 11 polymorphic microsatellite repeats were developed.


CONCLUSIONS
The presented polymorphisms provide a tool to investigate the role of the corresponding genes in canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy by linkage analysis or association studies.
Wiersma
Anje C
AC
Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Chester High Road, Neston, CH64 7TE, UK. a.c.wiersma@uu.nl
Leegwater
Peter Aj
PA
van Oost
Bernard A
BA
Ollier
William E
WE
Dukes-McEwan
Joanna
J
D000818:Animals; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D005819:Genetic Markers