A High-Resolution Genome Wide Map of Structural Variation in the Modern Domesticated Dog

Domestication and subsequent inbreeding to select for desired characteristics has created extraordinary levels of phenotypic diversity in the modern domesticated dog, Canis familiaris. Copy number variation (CNV) is an important class of genetic variation that contributes to phenotypic diversity in a wide variety of organisms. CNV’s have also been implicated in canine health conditions such as dermoid sinus in Ridgeback dogs. The purpose of my research is to perform computational analyses on a CNV data set generated from 61 genetically, morphologically, and behaviorally diverse dogs representing 12 distinct breeds. This work will provide new insights into the genomic organization of structural variation within and among domestic dog breeds, and potential CNV’s contributing to canine diseases.