00582-A: Identification of Canine Microsatellites Associated with Genes Known to Cause Inherited Cataract Conditions in Humans
Grant Status: Closed
Grant Amount: $12,960
Cathryn S Mellersh, PhD; Animal Health Trust
July 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005
Sponsor(s):
Breed(s): Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Research Program Area: Ophthalmology
Donate to Support this Research Program Area
Abstract
Cataract, an opacity of the lens, is very common in the dog and is a leading cause of blindness. Although cataracts can have a variety of causes, such as metabolic disease, senile changes, trauma, nutritional deficiencies and radiation therapy, hereditary cataracts (HC) are the most common form of cataract in dogs and are believed to affect approximately 90 different breeds. Hereditary cataracts are not present at birth but the majority develop within the first twelve months of life. In many breeds progression to total cataract invariably occurs, resulting in total blindness at a few years of age. In this project, we plan to identify canine microsatellites in genes known to play a role in inherited cataracts in humans and to screen these candidates across the three sample collections listed above, to identify any that are linked to HC. We will take advantage of the recently available canine whole genome sequence to download sequences of genes of interest, together with flanking DNA, and identify microsatellites associated with each gene, optimizing the most polymorphic microsatellites to amplify in multiplexes of between three and four markers. The development of such multiplexes will enable us to screen our pedigrees of dogs segregatong HC very quickly and efficiently for linkage to known HC genes.Publication(s)
Mellersh, C. S. (2014). The genetics of eye disorders in the dog. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 1(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-6687-1-3
Mellersh, C. S., Pettitt, L., Forman, O. P., Vaudin, M., & Barnett, K. C. (2006). Identification of mutations in HSF4 in dogs of three different breeds with hereditary cataracts. Veterinary Ophthalmology, 9(5), 369–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-5224.2006.00496.x
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
