Scientists have reached a new milestone in the study of K9 genetics thanks to a blood sample from a healthy five-year-old German shepherd named Nala.

This is a landmark achievement in the quest to understand the history of one of the world’s most popular dog breeds.

Recent advancements in genetic sequencing technology have allowed researchers around the world to work as a team to decode Nala’s 38 chromosome pairs. And now, they have unlocked new secrets within the 2.8 billion base pairs of German shepherd DNA.

This new genome sequence does two big things.

First, it allows scientists to base their work on a clearer snapshot of dog species in general, meaning all breeds can be better understood.

This accomplishment also provides a foundation for future studies on common diseases that our beloved German Shepherds face all too frequently.

UNSW Science’s Professor Bill Ballard, an evolutionary biologist who sequenced the genome of the Australian dingo in 2017, says German shepherds are popular choices in the home and the workplace because of their natural intelligence, balanced temperament, and protective nature.

But, after more than a century of breeding for desired physical characteristics, German shepherds are particularly vulnerable to genetic diseases.

“One of the most common health problems affecting German shepherds is canine hip dysplasia, which is a painful condition that can restrict their mobility,” says Professor Ballard.

“Because German shepherds make such good working dogs, there has been a lot of money spent looking into the causes and predictors of this problem. “

“Now that we have the genome, we can determine much earlier in life whether the dog is likely to develop the condition. And over time, it will enable us to develop a breeding program to reduce hip dysplasia in future generations.”

Nala, the German Shepherd who was the source for this study, is described as “an easy-going and approachable 5.5-year-old.” She was selected because tests showed that she was free of all known genetic diseases, including signs of hip dysplasia.

Nala was selected by renowned TV and radio vet Dr. Robert Zammit. He is credited as an author of the official paper which documents the extensive research. Professor Ballard says that Dr. Zammit has amassed X-rays and blood samples of more than 600 German shepherds!

“Now we’ll be able to look at those hip x-rays and all the DNA of those dogs and compare them back to this healthy reference female,” Professor Ballard says.

Nala isn’t the first domestic dog to provide a sample for the mapping of the dog genome. In 2003 a poodle called Shadow provided a sample that resulted in a genome that was 80 percent complete.

Professor Ballard seems sure that more and more dog breeds will have their genomes mapped in the coming years, as science progresses.

“I would expect that as the costs come down, all the major breeds will have a genome mapped within 10 years, because this will help identify specific diseases, and lots of breeds have known specific diseases.”

This is a gleaming source of hope for all of those dog lovers who enjoy bigger, more active dogs who are prone to genetic diseases like hip dysplasia.

It’s exciting to observe the rapid progression of scientific possibility and to see the world become a better place as a result.

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Source: Science Daily, UNSW Newsroom