Canine Genomics and Disease Research

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 3872

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Interests: canine genomics; mobile elements; population genetics; gene duplication; genome evolution
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Genes has a strong history of publishing the latest research in canine genetics. This Special Issue continues that legacy by highlighting the latest findings in canine genomics and disease. Submissions are invited to cover all relevant topics, including descriptions of genetic variation within and among canines, evolution and population genetics, new genomic resources, studies of gene function, and the results of disease and trait mapping studies. New findings and reviews relevant to this field are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Kidd
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • canine genetics
  • trait mapping
  • genome structure and function
  • population genetics
  • association studies
  • canine evolution
  • canine disease

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 2689 KB  
Article
A Novel CFA3 Locus Encompassing KCNIP4 Is Associated with Idiopathic Epilepsy in Siberian Huskies
by Tracy A. Smith and Leon Potisk
Genes 2026, 17(4), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17040459 - 15 Apr 2026
Viewed by 3384
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Idiopathic epilepsy is a lifelong neurologic disorder in dogs, but its genetic basis remains incompletely understood in many breeds. This study aimed to identify risk-associated markers in Siberian Huskies, quantify their effects, assess potential risk modifiers, and characterize the shared haplotype background [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Idiopathic epilepsy is a lifelong neurologic disorder in dogs, but its genetic basis remains incompletely understood in many breeds. This study aimed to identify risk-associated markers in Siberian Huskies, quantify their effects, assess potential risk modifiers, and characterize the shared haplotype background of the associated signal. Methods: A genome-wide association study was conducted in 113 Siberian Huskies genotyped on the Illumina CanineHD array, integrating association, regression, and haplotype/IBD analyses. An independent follow-up cohort of 57 additional dogs was genotyped at the lead marker by Sanger sequencing. Sex and gonadectomy status/timing were also evaluated as potential modifiers of risk, using multivariable regression and time-to-event analyses. Results: A strong, localized association was identified on canine chromosome 3 (CFA3) within KCNIP4. The lead intronic marker was significantly enriched in cases, with all risk-allele homozygotes affected, most heterozygotes affected, and no control homozygotes observed. Risk-associated chromosomes shared extended haplotypes across the region, consistent with carriers inheriting a common risk haplotype from a relatively recent shared ancestor. Among carriers, male sex was associated with higher odds of epilepsy and earlier seizure onset, with more tentative evidence for a similar association with gonadectomy before 5 years of age. Conclusions: These findings prioritize a CFA3 region encompassing KCNIP4 as a major risk locus for idiopathic epilepsy in Siberian Huskies. Fine-mapping with high-coverage sequencing and functional follow-up will be required to pinpoint the causal variant(s) and support development of risk assessment tools. Until those studies are completed, this marker should be regarded as a research finding rather than a predictive test. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Canine Genomics and Disease Research)
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