SYDNEY, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have led an international study into the DNA sequencing of an ancient breed of an African dog.
The scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have mapped the DNA sequencing of the basenji, also known as the barkless dog, a breed that still lives and hunts with tribesmen in Africa.
The researchers said their findings, published in the scientific journal BMC Genomics on Tuesday, were among the most complete dog genomes ever generated and could have a big impact on the understanding of dog evolution, domestication, and canine genetic diseases.
"The dog was probably the first animal to be domesticated by humans and has subsequently been artificially selected by humans into a great diversity of dog breeds of different sizes and shapes," said lead author Richard Edwards of the UNSW School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences.
"Before this paper, it was difficult to interpret differences between the dog reference genomes and non-domesticated dogs, such as dingoes, jackals, coyotes, wolves and foxes," Edwards said.
"We have provided an anchor point for studies that can help establish the timing and direction of genetic changes during domestication and subsequent breeding."
Fellow researcher Kylie Cairns, an expert in dingoes, said basenjis provided the "perfect comparison to more modern breeds to explore how breeds were developed, the process of domestication and assist in studies looking for disease genes."
"This genome will also be critical in comparisons to wolves, dingoes and village dogs as an example of an ancient domestic breed," Cairns said.
"We will also be able to tackle lingering questions about the evolutionary history of dingoes and their relatives in New Guinea, with the basenji acting as a halfway point between non-domesticated dingoes and truly modern dog breeds like pugs, kelpies and poodles." Enditem