1401: Identification of Candidate Genes Causing Hereditary Myopathy in Labrador Retriever Dogs

Grant Amount: $14,918

Bruce F Smith, VMD, PhD; Auburn University

December 3, 1997 - December 2, 1998

Sponsor(s): Labrador Retriever Club

Breed(s): Labrador Retriever

Research Program Area: Neurology

Project Summary

This study helped redirect the efforts to find the gene responsible for hereditary myopathy in Labrador Retrievers. In studying tissue samples from the muscles of affected dogs to try to identify proteins that are unique to dogs with this autosomal recessive muscular disease, researchers discovered that these proteins are identical in normal and affected dogs. Research efforts have turned to molecular studies to find the gene. Researchers have nearly completed sequencing a gene that they suspect is responsible for the disease (selected based on a similar disease in humans). Once future funding allows the sequencing to be completed, researchers hope to find a mutation on the gene that will allow the development of an unequivocal genetic test to identify carriers of the disease.

Publication(s)

None at this time.