A collaborative research group consisting of Anicom Advanced Medical Research Institute Inc., the National Institute of Genetics, the Kazusa DNA Research Institute, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Miyazaki, and Azabu University has succeeded in accurately deciphering all of the genetic information (hereinafter referred to as the genome) of domestic cats, and discovered more than 1,600 new genes that had not previously been found.
International reference genome sequences (hereafter referred to as reference sequences) are essential basic information for advancing biological research. However, for most animals, with the exception of humans and mice, reference sequences have yet to be developed or are incomplete.
For the domestic cat, the first reference sequence was published in 2007, but there are still issues such as errors in sequencing and undeciphered sequences. In addition, while domestic cats have many breeds and are genetically diverse, the current reference sequence is based on DNA from Abyssinian cats. Therefore, this time, the research group aimed to establish a highly accurate genome sequence and reference sequence for the American Shorthair, which is popular worldwide and has the characteristic of having many closely related breeds.
Leveraging advanced genome sequencing technology, the company developed a new reference sequence, named after Anicom American Shorthair 1.0 (AnAms1.0). Comparing AnAms1.0 with existing reference sequences for six felids, the company found that it had the best reference sequence quality index and the most accurate gene reconstruction.
Furthermore, detailed analysis of genetic information led to the discovery of 1,685 previously unknown genes present on chromosomes.
This result is not only expected to provide the basis for more accurate genetic research in more cat breeds, but also to contribute to the development of veterinary medicine, such as elucidating unknown genetic diseases and personalized medical care for cats.
