Dog Genome Decoding Complete

Craig Venter, the human genome research man has got the genetic blueprint of his best friend figured out. The dog genome decoding is complete. For the project, Craig Venter used his nine year old dog Shadow's DNA for decoding. It appears that Shadow has 18,473 genes with human equivalents.

Dogs have 2.4 billion DNA letters and 39 pairs of chromosomes with 99% similarity between different breeds.

With 350 known genetic dog diseases, the work has just begun. Researchers have identified some genes that relate to a dog's life and quite a few linked to smell.

Meanwhile, the US government too is busy at work on a detailed dog genome, from a boxer called Tasha. The project is expected to be completed early 2004.

References
Kirkness, E. F. et al. The dog genome: survey sequencing and comparative analysis. Science, 301, 1898 - 1903, (2003).