There are more than 400 species of dogs in the world today, each a closed breeding population with unique size, morphology, and behavioral patterns. The dog genome is similar in size to that of humans and other mammals, containing approximately 2.5 billion DNA base pairs. Due to a long history of selective breeding, many breeds of dogs are susceptible to genetic diseases that are difficult to study in humans, such as cancer, heart disease, deafness, blindness, and autoimmune diseases. Additionally, dogs are an important model for behavioral genetics and are widely used in pharmaceutical research. Sequencing of the dog genome began in June 2003. Sequencing the entire genomes of a large number of different breeds will fundamentally improve understanding of the canine genome and improve dog health.

CD Genomics is a leading service provider for agricultural genomics research, offering reliable canine genome sequencing services to support research and breeding efforts in the field of canine genomics for clients worldwide. Our services help understand the evolution of dog molecular diversity and create healthier, happier dogs.

Our canine genome sequencing service

CD Genomics offers comprehensive and customizable genome sequencing services for canine. We utilize advanced next-generation sequencing and long-read sequencing technology platforms, as well as bioinformatics tools to perform whole genome sequencing on different canine breeds to provide reliable data support for genomic and other research on canine genome structure, organization, and function.

Our services cover all stages of the sequencing process, from library preparation to data analysis. Our team of experienced scientists and bioinformaticians is dedicated to delivering accurate and reliable results that enable researchers and breeders to gain a deeper understanding of the genetic makeup of dogs.

• Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)

By applying whole genome sequencing technology to canines, we can decipher the complete canine genome, including both coding and non-coding regions. Whole genome sequencing allows the identification of genetic variants such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and structural variants.

• Exome Sequencing

Exome sequencing offers a cost-effective alternative to whole genome sequencing. By analyzing the exome, we can identify potential disease-causing variants, allowing us to study inherited diseases and help breeders make informed decisions to improve the health of their dog population.

• Targeted Sequencing

Targeted sequencing is particularly useful for studying candidate genes associated with specific traits or diseases. By targeting these regions, researchers can obtain very detailed information about the genetic variants that contribute to canine behavior, morphological traits, and disease susceptibility.

Applications of canine genome sequencing

The canine genome sequence provides data to support numerous application areas:

• Understanding canine evolution

By comparing the genetic makeup of different breeds of dogs with that of their wild ancestor, the gray wolf, we can help you reveal the genetic changes that occurred during domestication. This information sheds light on the genetic adaptations that influence the behavior, morphology, and physiology of modern dog breeds.

• Identifying disease-causing variants

By analyzing the genomes of affected individuals and healthy controls, we can help you identify genetic variants associated with diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders. This knowledge has helped improve our understanding of dog diseases.

• Enhancing breed health and selection

By identifying genetic variants associated with specific traits, we can help you selectively breed individuals with desired characteristics while minimizing the risk of inherited diseases. Sequencing the canine genome enables you to implement evidence-based breeding strategies that produce healthier and genetically diverse populations.

• Population genetics

By sequencing the genomes of closely related species and subspecies, we can help you study population structure and genetic diversity, and identify unique genetic adaptations.

• Linkage disequilibrium between dog breeds

To capitalize on the unique genetic characteristics of dogs, an understanding of the structure of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the canine genome is needed. Our canine genome sequence facilitates the localization and cloning of genes important for canine health, as well as the discovery of loci that regulate phenotypic traits.

Case study of canine genome sequencing

Since 2004, hundreds of canine genomes have been partially or fully sequenced by various groups or laboratories, mostly for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and subsequent fine-mapping and functional studies or to infer canine history. Accumulate marks. As the diversity, density, and quality of available sequences increase, so does the resolution with which putative functional variants can be identified. The release of high-quality sequences of the Basenji, Great Dane, German Shepherd Dog, Labrador Retriever, dingo, and gray wolf allows analysis of previously inaccessible genomic features such as gene promoters, regulatory elements, repetitive sequences, and mobile elements. The international Dog10K project aims to sequence and analyze thousands of canine genomes. They identified genomic variation across the canid family, laying the foundation for detailed studies of domestication, behavior, morphology and disease susceptibility, genomic structure, and function.

Fig. 1. Overview of the Dog10K collection. (Meadows et al., 2023)

• Dog10K provides Illumina sequencing data from 1987 canids, revealing more than 144,000 structural variants (deletions, insertions, duplications, and inversions, ≥50 bp in size), 14.4 million indels, and 34 indels.
• The Dog10K dataset includes samples from 321 dog breeds, 261 of which are represented by three or more individuals, encompassing globally distributed rare and common breeds, and collectively cover variation in morphology, disease susceptibility, and behavior.
• The Dog10K reference panel contains 1929 individuals, making it the largest reference panel to date that enables estimation of canine genotypes across breeds and genotyping platforms, including low-pass sequencing data.

CD Genomics is committed to providing reliable canine genome sequencing services. Our high-quality dog genome sequences can be used for a variety of studies, including the characterization of mammalian genomes and their preservation, genome-wide association mapping of canine genetic disorders, comparative analysis of the history of the dog and human genomes, etc. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

1. Meadows, Jennifer RS, et al. Genome sequencing of 2000 canids by the Dog10K consortium advances the understanding of demography, genome function and architecture. Genome biology. 24.1 (2023): 187.