One more sign that President Obama is serious about prioritizing science: his pick for First Dog is a breed that's an important model organism in genetics research.
In an interview with People magazine that hits newsstands Friday, Michelle Obama revealed that the family is going to adopt a Portuguese water dog in April. This curly-coated canine was chosen partly because it's hypoallergenic, meaning it shouldn't send little Malia into fits of coughing and sneezing.
Some cachet also comes from having a PWD, and not just because Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy owns two. There are only about 8,000 of the dogs in the world. The breed almost died out in the early 20th century before being saved by intensive husbandry efforts in the 1940s and '50s.
This genetic bottleneck is what makes PWDs so interesting to biologists, said Gordon Lark of the University of Utah, who has studied the dogs for years.
"There were only about 30 founding dogs," he said. "The breed has a very narrow gene pool, yet it has a wide range of sizes and shapes."
Lark and his team are studying how such limited genetic diversity can give rise to the breed's exceptional body-form variety. They're mapping out gene function in PWDs, correlating dogs' genetic profiles with X-rays of their bones. Many PWD owners send the researchers this and other information, hoping to advance science and perhaps improve the future health of the severely inbred animals. Many owners even hand over their beloved pets' remains for a complete autopsy.
"We can do personalized genetics on these dogs," Lark said. "We've found out a lot about how to study disease."
Lark also appreciates PWDs on a different level, one that's more immediately relevant to the Obama family. "They're marvelous dogs," he said. "They have a real sense of humor."
See Also:
- Evolution in Action at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
- Scientists Find Canine Baldness Gene
- Computer Program Could Translate Dog Barks Into Human Speech
- Black Wolves the Result of Interbreeding With Dogs
- Mankind Plays God With St. Bernards
Image: Flickr/Basykes
