Characterisation of the genomic canine Fgf8 locus and screen for genetic variants in 4 dogs with different face types

Genome-wide association analysis for lethal brachycephalic-like facial dysmorphia in Labrador Retrievers

A GWAS was performed for inborn X-linked facial dysmorphia with severe growth retardation in Labrador Retrievers. This lethal condition was mapped on the X chromosome at 17-21 Mb and supported by eight SNPs in complete LD. Dams of affected male puppies were heterozygous for the significantly associated SNPs and male affected puppies carried the associated alleles hemizygously. In the near vicinity to the associated region, RPS6KA3 was identified as a candidate gene causing facial dysmorphia in humans and mice known as Coffin-Lowry syndrome. Haplotype analysis showed significant association with the phenotypes of all 18 animals under study. This haplotype was validated through normal male progeny from a dam with the not-associated haplotype on both X chromosomes but male affected full-sibs with the associated haplotype.

Tinkering and the Origins of Heritable Anatomical Variation in Vertebrates

Evolutionary change comes from natural and other forms of selection acting on existing anatomical and physiological variants. While much is known about selection, little is known about the details of how genetic mutation leads to the range of heritable anatomical variants that are present within any population. This paper takes a systems-based view to explore how genomic mutation in vertebrate genomes works its way upwards, though changes to proteins, protein networks, and cell phenotypes to produce variants in anatomical detail. The evidence used in this approach mainly derives from analysing anatomical change in adult vertebrates and the protein networks that drive tissue formation in embryos. The former indicate which processes drive variation-these are mainly patterning, timing, and growth-and the latter their molecular basis. The paper then examines the effects of mutation and genetic drift on these processes, the nature of the resulting heritable phenotypic variation within a population, and the experimental evidence on the speed with which new variants can appear under selection. The discussion considers whether this speed is adequate to explain the observed rate of evolutionary change or whether other non-canonical, adaptive mechanisms of heritable mutation are needed. The evidence to hand suggests that they are not, for vertebrate evolution at least.

Heritability of Face Shape in Twins: A Preliminary Study using 3D Stereophotogrammetry and Geometric Morphometrics

INTRODUCTION

Previous research suggests that aspects of facial surface morphology are heritable. Traditionally, heritability studies have used a limited set of linear distances to quantify facial morphology and often employ statistical methods poorly designed to deal with biological shape. In this preliminary report, we use a combination of 3D photogrammetry and landmark-based morphometrics to explore which aspects of face shape show the strongest evidence of heritability in a sample of twins.

METHODS

3D surface images were obtained from 21 twin pairs (10 monozygotic, 11 same-sex dizygotic). Thirteen 3D landmarks were collected from each facial surface and their coordinates subjected to geometric morphometric analysis. This involved superimposing the individual landmark configurations and then subjecting the resulting shape coordinates to a principal components analysis. The resulting PC scores were then used to calculate rough narrow-sense heritability estimates.

RESULTS

Three principal components displayed evidence of moderate to high heritability and were associated with variation in the breadth of orbital and nasal structures, upper lip height and projection, and the vertical and forward projection of the root of the nose due to variation in the position of nasion.

CONCLUSIONS

Aspects of facial shape, primarily related to variation in length and breadth of central midfacial structures, were shown to demonstrate evidence of strong heritability. An improved understanding of which facial features are under strong genetic control is an important step in the identification of specific genes that underlie normal facial variation.