Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have used recent archaeological data to trace the genetic ancestry of domestic dogs back to the Middle East rather than to East Asia, as was suggested by previous studies. This new discovery is highly significant, as this links the ancestry of domestic dogs to the origin of civilization, thus exposing a greater tie between humans and canines. Moreover, the study analyzed more than 48,000 genetic markers - far more than previous research - researchers thus far seem to have attributed more validity to the results.
The team, which was led by UCLA Prof. Robert Wayne, chose to use a special genotyping chip - known as a single nucleotide polymorphism - that locates the most frequent variation in a DNA sequence. By collecting and comparing the DNA of wild wolves around the world with the DNA of domesticated dogs, the researchers discovered that wolves and dogs from the Middle East had the most similar DNA sequences of the animals tested. Thus, they were able to more firmly draw the kinship link between wolves and dogs in the area.
-compiled by Nalin Chuapetcharasopon
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