genetic basis

Coat color of wild and domestic animals is a critical trait that has significant biological and economic impact.

In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have identified the genetic basis for black coat color, and white, in a breed of domestic sheep.

A new method may help the medical community to determine the genetic basis of many common diseases. Thousands of human diseases originate from mutations in one or more genes.

Identification of mutated genes is a crucial first step towards understanding the molecular mechanisms at the origin of diseases and devising a treatment.

In many cases, we do not know the identity of the affected gene, only a chromosomal region (typically containing hundred of genes) in which the mutation is located.

Cancer researchers have found that humans and dogs share more than friendship and companionship -- they also share the same genetic basis for certain types of cancer.

Furthermore, the researchers say that because of the way the genomes have evolved, getting cancer may be inevitable for some humans and dogs.