Daniel Zemke
Graduate Student, Dept. of MicrobiologyB.S., 1995, Michigan State University
Hereditary Canine Deafness
Canine sensorineural deafness occurs in a number of dog breeds, for example Dalmatians and Australian Cattle Dogs. The primary cause of hearing loss is believed to be a defect in migration of melanocyte precursors to the inner ear, differentiation of these precursors into mature melanocytes, or survival of the melanocytes. Melanocytes in the inner ear are responsible for maintaining proper environmental conditions for the survival of the hair cells that detect sound. Loss of melanocytes leads to destruction of the hair cells and other structures of the inner ear, with the end result being a loss of hearing. The goals of this project are to (A) identify a mutation responsible for this condition, then develop a test for it so that breeders can reduce the prevalence of the trait by using non-affected animals in matings, and (B) understand the genetics behind the mechanism of hearing for dogs and other species, such as humans.Previously identified gene mutations in other species that cause conditions with similar pathologies, such as Waardenburg syndrome in humans and lethal-spotted mice, were chosen as candidate genes for possible mutations in the dog. Current candidate genes include PAX3, cKIT, endothelin receptor B (EDNRB), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF).
This work is supported by the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the Dalmatian Club of America, and the Jaqua Foundation.
For more information, see also:
The Deaf Dogs Web Page
Deaf Dog Education Action Fund