This post was written with Consensus AI Academic Search Engine – please read our Disclaimer at the end of this article. The identification of the SGK3 coding variant as a cause of hairlessness in Scottish Deerhounds provides valuable insights into the genetic basis of this trait. Understanding these genetic mechanisms can help in diagnosing and managing hairlessness in dogs and may offer parallels to similar conditions in other species.
Bald spots in dogs can be a cause of concern for pet owners and veterinarians alike. Understanding the genetic basis and underlying mechanisms of hairlessness in dogs can provide insights into similar conditions in other species, including humans. This article explores the genetic factors contributing to hairlessness in dogs, with a focus on a recent study involving Scottish Deerhounds.
Genetic Basis of Hairlessness
The domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris, exhibits a wide variety of coat types, including differences in color, texture, length, curl, and growth patterns. Among these variations, partial or full hairlessness is a particularly intriguing trait. This condition is standard in some breeds, such as the Xoloitzcuintli, which typically have sparse hair on their extremities, and the American Hairless Terrier, which is entirely bald.
Case Study: Scottish Deerhounds
A recent study investigated a rare family of Scottish Deerhounds where coated parents produced a mixed litter of coated and hairless offspring. This unique case provided an opportunity to identify the genetic variant responsible for hairlessness in these dogs.
Whole Genome Sequencing Findings
Researchers performed whole genome sequencing on the dam and five offspring, comparing single nucleotide polymorphisms and small insertions/deletions against an established catalog of 91 million canine variants. Out of 325 homozygous alternative alleles found in both hairless dogs, 56 displayed the expected pattern of segregation. However, only a single high-impact variant within a coding region was observed: a single base pair insertion in exon two of the SGK3 gene, leading to a potential frameshift. This finding corroborates recently published results, confirming the role of the SGK3 coding variant in hairlessness1.
Mechanism of Hairlessness
Interestingly, the study found that gene expression levels between coated and hairless dogs were similar. This suggests that the mechanism responsible for hairlessness is not due to non-sense mediated decay, a process where cells degrade mRNA containing premature stop codons. Instead, the frameshift mutation in SGK3 likely disrupts the normal function of the protein, leading to the hairless phenotype1.
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