The Role of Genetics and Genomics in Companion Animal Reproduction

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2021) | Viewed by 13207

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: growth; genetics; disease; bone development; dog; cattle; endocrinology; companion animals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Continuing on the theme of companion animal genetics that the journal Genes has initiated, I invite you to contribute to a Special Issue of Genes focused on The Role of Genetics and Genomics in Companion Animal Reproduction. There have been substantial research advances in feline, avian, and canine reproduction with respect to genetic influences and this Special Issue welcomes your contributions.

This Special Issue will cover all aspects of genetics and reproduction in companion animals. Topics of particular interest include genetic testing, genetics of male or female infertility, genetic influences on social structure as it relates to reproduction, genetic control of reproductive cyclicity or seasonality, genetic control of reproductive traits such as maternal care or fecundity, assisted reproduction, and gamete cryopreservation.

For further details on the submission process, please see the instructions for authors at the journal website (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/genes/instructions). I will be happy to answer pre-inquiries about the suitability of specific manuscripts for this Special Issue.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Prof. Dr. Anita Oberbauer
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • genetic testing
  • male infertility
  • female infertility
  • social structure
  • reproductive cyclicity
  • seasonality
  • assisted reproduction
  • gamete cryopreservation
  • reproductive traits

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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8 pages, 1906 KiB  
Article
Identification of W13 in the American Miniature Horse and Shetland Pony Populations
by Elizabeth Esdaile, Angelica Kallenberg, Felipe Avila and Rebecca R. Bellone
Genes 2021, 12(12), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12121985 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5219
Abstract
Coat color is a trait of economic significance in horses. Variants in seven genes have been documented to cause white patterning in horses. Of the 34 variants that have been identified in KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT), 27 have only [...] Read more.
Coat color is a trait of economic significance in horses. Variants in seven genes have been documented to cause white patterning in horses. Of the 34 variants that have been identified in KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (KIT), 27 have only been reported in a single individual or family and thus not all are routinely offered for genetic testing. Therefore, to enable proper use of marker-assisted selection, determining breed specificity for these alleles is warranted. Screening 19 unregistered all-white Shetland ponies for 16 white patterning markers identified 14 individuals whose phenotype could not be explained by testing results. In evaluating other known dominant white variants, 14 horses were heterozygous for W13. W13 was previously only reported in two quarter horses and a family of Australian miniature horses. Genotyping known white spotting variants in 30 owner-reported white animals (25 Miniature Horses and five Shetland ponies) identified two additional W13/N American Miniature Horses. The estimated allele frequency of W13 in the American Miniature Horse was 0.0063 (79 N/N, 1 W13/N) and the allele was not detected in a random sample (n = 59) of Shetland ponies. No homozygous W13 individuals were identified and W13/N ponies had a similar all-white coat with pink skin phenotype, regardless of the other white spotting variants present, demonstrating that W13 results in a Mendelian inherited dominant white phenotype and homozygosity is likely lethal. These findings document the presence of W13 in the American Miniature Horse and Shetland pony populations at a low frequency and illustrate the importance of testing for this variant in additional breeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Genetics and Genomics in Companion Animal Reproduction)
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Review

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13 pages, 950 KiB  
Review
Polly Wants a Genome: The Lack of Genetic Testing for Pet Parrot Species
by Henriëtte van der Zwan and Rencia van der Sluis
Genes 2021, 12(7), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12071097 - 20 Jul 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7379
Abstract
Parrots are considered the third most popular pet species, after dogs and cats, in the United States of America. Popular birds include budgerigars, lovebirds and cockatiels and are known for their plumage and vocal learning abilities. Plumage colour variation remains the main driving [...] Read more.
Parrots are considered the third most popular pet species, after dogs and cats, in the United States of America. Popular birds include budgerigars, lovebirds and cockatiels and are known for their plumage and vocal learning abilities. Plumage colour variation remains the main driving force behind breeder selection. Despite the birds’ popularity, only two molecular genetic tests—bird sexing and pathogen screening—are commercially available to breeders. For a limited number of species, parentage verification tests are available, but are mainly used in conservation and not for breeding purposes. No plumage colour genotyping test is available for any of the species. Due to the fact that there isn’t any commercial plumage genotype screening or parentage verification tests available, breeders mate close relatives to ensure recessive colour alleles are passed to the next generation. This, in turn, leads to inbreeding depression and decreased fertility, lower hatchability and smaller clutch sizes, all important traits in commercial breeding systems. This review highlights the research carried out in the field of pet parrot genomics and points out the areas where future research can make a vital contribution to understanding how parrot breeding can be improved to breed healthy, genetically diverse birds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Genetics and Genomics in Companion Animal Reproduction)
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