Doggie DNA.Researchers have pieced together a draft of the dog genome, the sequence of DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. units that includes air the genetic instructions for making a dog. The draft, by the Center for the Advancement of Genomics The Center for the Advancement of Genomics (TCAG) is a not-for-profit policy center in Rockville, Maryland. It studies social and ethical issues surrounding genomic science. It is dedicated to education of the general public, elected officials, and students. , in Rockville, Md., is based on the DNA of a male standard poodle Noun 1. standard poodle - a breed or medium-sized poodles poodle, poodle dog - an intelligent dog with a heavy curly solid-colored coat that is usually clipped; an old breed sometimes trained as sporting dogs or as performing dogs named Shadow. The sequence is very rough, with millions of gaps in the 2.6,-billion-unit genome. But it is enough to draw certain conclusions about the nature of dogginess. The dog genome interests researchers because dogs and people get many of the same diseases. And it's easier to hunt among small inbreeding inbreeding, mating of closely related organisms. Inbreeding is chiefly used as a means of insuring the preservation of specific desired traits among the offspring of purebred animals (see breeding). populations--of people or of breeds of dog--for the genes that cause disease. Researchers report that there are doggene matches for three-quarters of known human genes; the other quarter probably developed in humans after they parted ways with dogs early in mammalian evolution. |
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