Recessive gene linked to breed-specific hearing loss identifiedMarch 9, 2022Prevalence of hearing loss in Rhodesian Ridgebacks may soon be reduced, thanks to a new genetic discovery.
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Genes, environment, and DNA sequenceFebruary 8, 2022One of the most interesting and significant shifts in biomedical science has been the change in our understanding of how genes are influenced by environment, and even how such influences can be inherited without changes to the DNA sequence of our chromosomes.
Owning a dog may be in your genesMay 29, 2019If you consider yourself a dog person, turns out this particular preference may come down to your DNA. A study on the heritability of dog ownership has found a person's genetic makeup strongly impacts whether they choose to get a dog. This is according to a team of Swedish and British scientists who used information from 35,035 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Registry as the basis of their study. Researchers compared the genetic makeup of twins with dog ownership. "We were surprised to see a person's genetic makeup appears to be a significant influence in whether they own a dog," says the study's lead author, Tove Fall, professor in molecular epidemiology at the department of medical sciences and the science for life laboratory, Uppsala University. "As such, these findings have major implications in several different fields related to understanding dog-human interaction throughout history and in modern times. Although dogs and other pets are common household members across the globe, little is known how they impact our daily life and health. Perhaps some people have a higher innate propensity to care for a pet than others." Using twins is a known method to separate the influences of environment and …
The value of genetic testing for equine practitionersMay 9, 2016These days, genetic testing poses few challenges for horse owners. They simply pluck a few hairs, place them in an envelope, mail the sample to the laboratory or registering body for testing, and koo koo kachoo, the results appear in their hot little hands in no time.
