Search for genomic markers related to high aptitude temperament of guide dogs for the blind

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19317
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Veterinary medical science, Animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Takeuchi Yukari 東京大学, 大学院農学生命科学研究科(農学部), 教授 (10240730)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 行動学 / 気質 / 注意散漫 / SNP / GWAS / 犬 / 使役犬

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we used behavioral evaluation data obtained from the trainers of the Japan Guide Dog Association for 763 candidate guide dogs to extract the temperaments that are related to guide dogs' aptitude, and performed a genome-wide association study based on the genotype data of 215 individuals for the “distraction” temperament, which is significantly related to aptitude. As a result, we found that some single nucleotide polymorphisms on the plakophilin4 gene of chromosome 36 are significantly related to the “distraction” temperament.

Free Research Field

獣医動物行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究が進展し，盲導犬の適性気質に関わる感受性遺伝子多型がリストアップされれば，これまでに最重要視されている適性気質が判明している海外の使役犬に対して即座に本手法の適用が可能となる。こうした研究の発展は，様々な使役犬の育種繁殖方法に科学的な根拠を与え，育成効率の向上に寄与するだけでなく，適否に関わる最重要気質の異なる施設間での子犬の授受にも貢献するなど，有限数の動物の能力を最大限に活かすという動物福祉学的観点からも意義が大きいと考えられる。