Detecting the region of genes that control domestication in animals

A group of scientists from Germany, Russia and Sweden has discovered areas of genes that control animal tamility. This may be a breakthrough in animal farming.

It helps animal breeders, farmers, zoologists or any breeder to better understand the factors that make people feel friendly or aggressive. At the same time, people also hope to find breeding strategies, move certain genes from one generation to another to create domesticated animals.

Frank Albert, scientist of the Max Planck Institute for Anthropology and Evolution, Germany and also the lead author of this report, said: 'Our research hopes will bring a thorough understanding of the domestication of animals under the perspective of genes and biology. Maybe, one day, we can tame a number of species that we have not yet domesticated like African bison. '

People are still unable to tame African bison.(Photo: iStockphoto / Johan Swanepoel).

This study comes from 1972 when researchers in Novosibirsk, the Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation) captured a large number of rats in the wasteland around the city. After returning to the lab, the rats were divided into two groups.

1. The first group of mice that appear to be quite gentle, they are not too aggressive with humans.
2. The second group of the most agitated children, they scream, attack and bite the researchers.

Since then, these mice have been bred together. Now, these two groups of mice have very different reactions to humans. The group of domesticated animals allows humans to touch them, lift and never attack. The aggressive ones are screaming, can attack at any time. Scientists interfered with the two groups of mice and identified areas in the genome that controlled domestication or aggression.

Editor-in-chief of Genetic Magazine Mark Johnston said: 'Humans have domesticated animals for thousands of years. During that time, there were many folk experiences and know-how around this work. But of course, genetics plays an important role in domestication. This study provides a solid scientific perspective to explain this phenomenon and provides a basis for the genome that could be modified to control breeding of animals that were once thought to be non-tame ".

Document:
Albert et al. Genetic Architecture in a Rat Model of Animal Domestication. Genetics, 2009; 182 (2): 541 DOI: 10.1534 / genetics.109.102186