Molecular Genetics of Sex Identification, Breed Ancestry and Polydactyly in the Norwegian Lundehund Breed

Regina Kropatsch; Claudia Melis; Astrid V Stronen; Henrik Jensen; Joerg T Epplen

doi:10.1093/jhered/esv031

Molecular Genetics of Sex Identification, Breed Ancestry and Polydactyly in the Norwegian Lundehund Breed

J Hered. 2015 Jul-Aug;106(4):403-6. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esv031. Epub 2015 May 20.

Authors

Regina Kropatsch¹, Claudia Melis², Astrid V Stronen², Henrik Jensen², Joerg T Epplen²

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany (Kropatsch and Epplen); the Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway (Melis and Jensen); the Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg Øst, Denmark (Stronen); and the Faculty of Health, University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany (Epplen). regina.kropatsch@rub.de.
² From the Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany (Kropatsch and Epplen); the Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway (Melis and Jensen); the Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg Øst, Denmark (Stronen); and the Faculty of Health, University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany (Epplen).

PMID: 25994807
DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv031

Abstract

The Norwegian Lundehund breed of dog has undergone a severe loss of genetic diversity as a result of inbreeding and epizootics of canine distemper. As a consequence, the breed is extremely homogeneous and accurate sex identification is not always possible by standard screening of X-chromosomal loci. To improve our genetic understanding of the breed we genotyped 17 individuals using a genome-wide array of 170 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Standard analyses based on expected homozygosity of X-chromosomal loci failed in assigning individuals to the correct sex, as determined initially by physical examination and confirmed with the Y-chromosomal marker, amelogenin. This demonstrates that identification of sex using standard SNP assays can be erroneous in highly inbred individuals.

Keywords: Norwegian Lundehund; Y chromosome; ancestors; mtDNA; polydactyly; sex identification.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Breeding
Dogs / genetics*
Female
Genetic Markers
Genetic Variation*
Genotype
Homozygote
Inbreeding*
Male
Microsatellite Repeats
Norway
Polydactyly / genetics*
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sex Determination Analysis
X Chromosome / genetics
Y Chromosome / genetics

Substances

Genetic Markers