In human genetics and precision medicine studies, cats may become model animals

Arabidopsis thaliana and fruit flies are widely studied as model animals in scientific research, and it is time for cats to usher in their era.

Although cats and humans have lived together for thousands of years, in the eyes of humans, they belong to their own world. This bias has also historically influenced science. Leslie Lyons, a veterinary expert at the University of Missouri in the United States, said in a dissertation article published in Trends in Genetics on July 28 that cats have the potential to become a valuable model of genetic biology because the genome ordering of felines is similar to that of humans.

"All along, research has ignored cats because people don't realize their benefits." "Because the chromosomes have been rearranged, the genome of a dog or mouse is very different from that of humans, but the size of the genes of a domestic cat is about the same size as that of humans, and like humans, its genome is very organized and conserved," Lyons said. ”

Cats may help researchers better understand people's genetic "dark matter," Lyons writes. Although this "dark matter" makes up 95% of our DNA, it has long been considered to be filled with information that has little effect.

However, about 10% of the non-coding region of the gene "dark matter" is conserved, suggesting that it has an important, misunderstood role. Cats have been found to suffer from genetic disorders associated with "dark matter" dysfunction, making them potential model organisms for this type of research.

"Perhaps, as we find that the gene spacing and gene sequences of these potential animals are more similar, it will help us interpret what happened to humans." Lyons said, "Studying primates is relatively expensive, but cats' endurance and docile nature make them one of the viable animals for studying the human genome." ”

Another reason cats contribute to human genome research is that we have cloned cats and transgenic cat technologies. The first cloned cat CC was born in 2001. Its cell donor is a typical three-flowered cat with coat colors including black, orange, and white, but cc doesn't have any orange on its fur, which violates Mendel's laws and other basic genetic principles. This shows that something is happening in cc's genes that researchers are only just beginning to understand.

Cats can also play a role in the precision treatment of genetic diseases. For such diseases, researchers often aim not to treat symptoms, but to repair genes and their functions. For example, certain breeds of cats are susceptible to polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder that also afflicts humans. Lyons writes that if we could treat the disease with precise drugs in cats, we could apply that knowledge to humans.

"So, if you walk into the vet clinic with a cat and the cat has no trauma and no feeding problems, it could be that it has genetic problems." Veterinarians can sequence these genes and potentially find the cause of these diseases more quickly, and then develop more appropriate treatments than just treating symptoms. "We can provide a tailor-made medical plan for pets, and more money will put the various parts in place." "Jinnan

Related thesis information: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2021.06.001

Source: China Science Daily