Propensity towards aggressive behaviour (PTAB)

Acronym:	PTAB
Gene:	SLC6A3
Mutation:	g.11243922_11243923ins12
Inheritance:	Autosomal Incompletely Dominant
Sample type:	CHS (Cheek Swab), WBE (Whole Blood EDTA)

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Genetics and characteristics

Propensity toward aggressive behavior in dogs may also have a genetic background and it is not always caused by bad health conditions and the way the dog has been raised and trained. Because aggression in dogs is considered a serious threat to public health, identification of genetic polymorphisms associated with aggressive behavior may be helpful to dog breeders and owners. Dogs that suffer from rage episodes are reported to have a glazed look in their eyes, show a lack of response to any stimuli, and often have seizures. A poly(A) insertion variant in the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) has been associated with aggressive behavior in Border Collies and Belgian Malinois dogs. The neurotransmitter dopamine has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of behaviors, including aggression, and the SLC6A3 gene encodes a protein responsible for the regulation of signal amplitude and duration in dopaminergic synapses.

The mutation in the SLC6A3 gene in dogs is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with incomplete penetrance meaning not only dogs with two mutated genes will show a propensity towards aggressive behavior, but also dogs carrying only one mutated gene. Usually, dogs carrying one mutated gene show milder behavioral changes and aggressiveness. Early detection by genetic testing can identify mutated genes and help breeders in selecting future mating pairs.

 

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Results Reported As

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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References:

Van Buren, S. L., Oberbauer, A. M., Minor, K. M., Belanger, J. M., & Furrow, E. (2021). Association analysis of dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) variants with risk for seizures and aggression in Border Collies. Animal genetics, 52(4), 573–574. https://doi.org/10.1111/age.13097

Lit, L., Belanger, J. M., Boehm, D., Lybarger, N., & Oberbauer, A. M. (2013). Differences in behavior and activity associated with a poly(a) expansion in the dopamine transporter in Belgian Malinois. PloS one, 8(12), e82948. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0082948