Ancient Genetic Material Keeps Pups Pint-Sized

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University of Utah biologists K. Gordon Lark and Kevin Chase were part of a multi-institutional team that identified ancient genetic material responsible for making small dogs small. Here Chase plays with his toy poodle-Maltese mixes Bonbon and Fille ...
University of Utah biologists K. Gordon Lark and Kevin Chase were part of a multi-institutional team that identified ancient genetic material responsible for making small dogs small. Here, Chase plays with his toy poodle-Maltese mixes, Bonbon and Fille, while Lark's medium-sized Portugese water dog, Mopsa, rests at Chase's feet. Photo Credit: Diana Chase, University of Utah

Soon after humans began domesticating dogs 12,000 to 15,000 years ago, they started breeding small canines. Now, scientists from the University of Utah and seven other institutions have identified a piece of doggy DNA that reduces the activity of a growth gene, ensuring that small breeds stay small.


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