The Italian wolf (Canis lupus) population has declined continuously over the last few centuries and become isolated as a result of the extermination of other populations in central Europe and the Alps during the nineteenth century. In the 1970s, approximately 100 wolves survived in 10 isolated areas in the central and southern Italian Apennines. Loss of genetic variability, as suggested by preliminary studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences, hybridization with feral dogs, and the illegal release of captive, non‐native wolves are considered potential threats to the viability of the Italian wolf population. We sequenced 546 base pairs of the mtDNA control region in a comprehensive set of Italian wolves and compared them to those of dogs and other wolf populations from Europe and the Near East. Our data confirm the absence of mtDNA variability in Italian wolves: all 101 individuals sampled across their distribution in Italy had the same, unique haplotype, whereas seven haplotypes were found in only 26 wolves from an outbred population in Bulgaria. Most haplotypes were specific either to wolves or dogs, but some east European wolves shared haplotypes with dogs, indicative of hybridization. In contrast, neither hybridization with dogs nor introgression of non‐native wolves was detected in the Italian population. These findings exclude the introgression of dog genes via matings between male wolves and female dogs, the most likely direction of hybridization. The observed mtDNA monomorphism is the possible outcome of random drift in the declining and isolated Italian wolf population, which probably existed at low effective population size during the last 100–150 years. Low effective population size and the continued loss of genetic variability might be a major threat to the long‐term viability of Italian wolves. A controlled demographic increase, leading to recolonization of the historical wolf range in Italy, should be enforced.

Mexican and Peruvian hairless dogs and Chinese crested dogs are characterized by missing hair and teeth, a phenotype termed canine ectodermal dysplasia (CED). CED is inherited as a monogenic autosomal semidominant trait. With genomewide association analysis we mapped the CED mutation to a 102-kilo-base pair interval on chromosome 17. The associated interval contains a previously uncharacterized member of the forkhead box transcription factor family (FOXI3), which is specifically expressed in developing hair and teeth. Mutation analysis revealed a frameshift mutation within the FOXI3 coding sequence in hairless dogs. Thus, we have identified FOXI3 as a regulator of ectodermal development.

Genetic diversity in eight Swiss goat breeds was estimated using PCR amplification of 20 bovine microsatellites on 20-40 unrelated animals per breed. In addition, the Creole breed from the Caribbean and samples of Ibex and Bezoar goat were included. A total of 352 animals were tested. The bovine microsatellites chosen amplified well in goat. The average heterozygosity within population was higher in domestic goat (0.51-0.58) than in Ibex (0.17) and Bezoar goat (0.19). Twenty-seven per cent of the genetic diversity in the total population could be attributed to differences between the populations. However, with the exclusion of Ibex from the total population, this proportion dropped to 17%. Principal component analysis showed that all Swiss goat breeds are closely related, whereas the Creole breed, Ibex and Bezoar goat are clearly distinct from all eight Swiss breeds.

Background: Non-synonymous polymorphisms within the prion protein gene (PRNP) influence the susceptibility and incubation time for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in some species such as sheep and humans. In cattle, none of the known polymorphisms within the PRNP coding region has a major influence on susceptibility to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).Recently, however, we demonstrated an association between susceptibility to BSE and a 23 bp insertion/deletion (indel) polymorphism and a 12 bp indel polymorphism within the putative PRNP promoter region using 43 German BSE cases and 48 German control cattle. The objective of this study was to extend this work by including a larger number of BSE cases and control cattle of German and Swiss origin.

Quaternary climatic fluctuations have had profound effects on the phylogeographic structure of many species. Classically, species were thought to have become isolated in peninsular refugia, but there is limited evidence that large, non-polar species survived outside traditional refugial areas. We examined the phylogeographic structure of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), a species that shows high ecological adaptability in the western Palaearctic region. We compared mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b and control region) from 399 modern and 31 ancient individuals from across Europe. Our objective was to test whether red foxes colonised the British Isles from mainland Europe in the late Pleistocene, or whether there is evidence that they persisted in the region through the Last Glacial Maximum.We found red foxes to show a high degree of phylogeographic structuring across Europe and, consistent with palaeontological and ancient DNA evidence, confirmed via phylogenetic indicators that red foxes were persistent in areas outside peninsular refugia during the last ice age. Bayesian analyses and tests of neutrality indicated population expansion. We conclude that there is evidence that red foxes from the British Isles derived from central European populations that became isolated after the closure of the landbridge with Europe.

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), or heaves, is a naturally occurring asthma-like disease that is related to sensitisation and exposure to mouldy hay and has a familial basis with a complex mode of inheritance. A genome-wide scanning approach using two half-sibling families was taken in order to locate the chromosome regions that contribute to the inherited component of this condition in these families. Initially, a panel of 250 microsatellite markers, which were chosen as a well-spaced, polymorphic selection covering the 31 equine autosomes, was used to genotype the two half-sibling families, which comprised in total 239 Warmblood horses. Subsequently, supplementary markers were added for a total of 315 genotyped markers. Each half-sibling family is focused around a severely RAO-affected stallion, and the phenotype of each individual was assessed for RAO and related signs, namely, breathing effort at rest, breathing effort at work, coughing, and nasal discharge, using an owner-based questionnaire. Analysis using a regression method for half-sibling family structures was performed using RAO and each of the composite clinical signs separately; two chromosome regions (on ECA13 and ECA15) showed a genome-wide significant association with RAO at P < 0.05. An additional 11 chromosome regions showed a more modest association. This is the first publication that describes the mapping of genetic loci involved in RAO. Several candidate genes are located in these regions, a number of which are interleukins. These are important signalling molecules that are intricately involved in the control of the immune response and are therefore good positional candidates.

Background: Mode of inheritance of equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is unknown. Hypothesis: Major genes are responsible for RAO. Animals: Direct offspring of 2 RAO-affected Warmblood stallions (n 5 197; n 5 163) and a representative sample of Swiss Warmbloods (n 5 401).Methods: One environmental and 4 genetic models (general, mixed inheritance, major gene, and polygene) were tested for Horse Owner Assessed Respiratory Signs Index (1-4, unaffected to severely affected) by segregation analyses of the 2 half-sib sire families, both combined and separately, using prevalences estimated in a representative sample.Results: In all data sets the mixed inheritance model was most likely to explain the pattern of inheritance. In all 3 datasets the mixed inheritance model did not differ significantly from the general model (P 5 .62, P 5 1.00, and P 5 .27) but was always better than the major gene model (P o .01) and the polygene model (P o .01). The frequency of the deleterious allele differed considerably between the 2 sire families (P 5 .23 and P 5 .06). In both sire families the displacement was large (t 5 17.52 and t 5 12.24) and the heritability extremely large (h 2 5 1). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Segregation analyses clearly reveal the presence of a major gene playing a role in RAO. In 1 family, the mode of inheritance was autosomal dominant, whereas in the other family it was autosomal recessive. Although the expression of RAO is influenced by exposure to hay, these findings suggest a strong, complex genetic background for RAO.

Introduction  First attempts at establishing the genetic relationships among cattle populations relied on archeological evidence (Epstein 1971; Epstein and Mason 1984) and protein polymorphisms (Baker and Manwell 1980, 1991). Loftus et al. (1994) examined mitochondrial DNA to determine the divergence time between Bos taurus and Bos indicus. Today most studies on genetic diversity are based on microsatellite analysis (Litt and Luty 1989; Tautz 1989; Weber and May 1989). Microsatellites were used in, e.g. man (Bowcock et al. 1994), canids (Roy et al. 1994; Fredholm and Winterø 1995) and sheep (Buchanan et al. 1994). Recent studies in cattle are also microsatellite based (e.g. Machugh et al. 1994; Ciampolini et al. 1995; Moazami‐Goudarzi et al. 1997) and aim at facilitating the development of management programs for endangered breeds (FAO 1981). Our microsatellite‐based investigation on the genetic diversity between and within Swiss cattle breeds included Original Swiss Brown, purebred Simmental, Holstein, Hérens and Evolènard. Previous studies in Swiss breeds made use of blood group systems (Reuse 1969), serum transferrin and hemoglobin (Krummen 1964), amylase (Buser 1970) and carboanhydrases (Kästli et al. 1980). The Hérens breed is endemic to the canton of Wallis. The Evolènard, which are very few in numbers and restricted to a single valley in the canton of Wallis, are phenotypically very similar to the Hérens with the exception of the coat colour. In the Aosta valley (Italy) which borders the canton of Wallis these two breeds find their counterparts. The phenotype of the Aosta Chestnut fits the Hérens and the Aosta Black Pied fits the Evolènard. The Holstein breed replaced the Fribourg breed which was a colour variant of the purebred Simmental breed (Engeler et al. 1961) and is now extinct. The Original Swiss Brown and the purebred Simmental are endemic to Switzerland.