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"   Decoded /// 2009  To Cure /// Blindness and Blisters   For researchers, it&amp;#039;s not all about finding genes to build a better racehorse--though this is certainly one spin-off. Horses suffer from more than 90 inherited diseases, such as infertility, inflammatory diseases and muscle disorders, making them good models for studying human conditions. Horses, for example, have more keratin genes than pigs or humans--possibly for hoof formation. Mutations in keratin genes have been linked to pachyonychia, a disorder in which individuals develop abnormally thick nails and painful blisters on the hands and feet. Horses also have more opsin genes, which perhaps endow the animals with sharper eyesight. As many diseases are specific to a particular breed, researchers proved they could find the genetic cause of the &amp;quot;leopard complex,&amp;quot; which endows the Appaloosa with its striking white patches. Many Appaloosa with this mottled coat suffer from night blindness--a disease that also affects humans. Finding the gene responsible for the coat color could lead them to the mutation that causes night blindness.    Decoded /// (Draft) 2009  To Cure /// Obesity, Heart Disease and Organ Transplants   The genetic blueprint of a red-haired Duroc pig means more than a future of tastier bangers and bacon. Pigs are essential tools for studying human health because they share a similar physiology, with comparable organ size and body mass. This makes them strong proxies for drug testing, practicing new surgical techniques and exploring lifestyle maladies like cardiovascular disease and obesity. With the genome sequence in hand, researchers can dissect the genetics underlying cardiovascular disease and obesity, as well as explore which gene variants metabolize drugs better and which ones can trigger fatal interactions. The sequence is also expected to provide insights into why pigs don&amp;#039;t get sick from swine flu. The pandemic strain H1N1 originated in pigs--which are reservoirs for both human and avian influenza viruses--but swine flu didn&amp;#039;t make the pigs sick. Exploring their genome may reveal the reason and also yield insights into the link between viral infection and disease progression. Pigs may also be the best source of cells and organs--such as beta-islet cells and kidneys--for human transplants. The pig genome is known to harbor viruses; sequencing it is the only way to see which viruses are there and gauge whether they will ever be viable again.    Decoded /// 2009  To Cure /// Immune Diseases   Whether through meat or milk, cows provide a significant source of protein to billions of people. There are two types of domestic cattle: Bos taurus, common in Europe, Africa, the Americas and much of Asia; and Bos indicus, a humped variety found in South Asia and East Africa. Researchers sequenced the genome of a Hereford cow, of the taurine variety, and also examined the genomes of 19 other breeds. Compared to humans, cows harbor more genes dedicated to innate immunity, perhaps to guard against infection from the enormous variety of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in their rumen and help digest the food. These immune genes could reveal how humans maintain a similar relationship with their gut microbes. Over the past 10,000 years, humans have selected cattle for not only milk and meat quality but also docile behavior. Regions on the cow chromosomes associated with docile temperament correspond, intriguingly, to regions in the human genome that have been linked to autism, brain development and mental retardation.    Decoded /// 2007  To Cure /// Blindness and Leukemia   The domestic cat, aloof and sparing with its affection, may deliver significant insights into human disease. Cats suffer from more than 200 inherited genetic diseases that are analogous to human disorders, and it is frequently used for studies involving the eye and gut. For example, certain breeds are susceptible to retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive degeneration of the retina that can eventually lead to blindness; this also affects 1 out of 3500 Americans. Cats are vulnerable to a range of viruses that create natural disease models. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), a relative of HIV, provides a model for AIDS. Feline coronavirus (FeCoV) provides a model for SARS and avian influenza; feline leukemia and sarcoma virus, a model for leukemia and sarcoma.    Decoded /// 2005  To Cure /// Heart disease, Epilepsy, Cancer and Deafness   Humans began domesticating dogs more than 100,000 years ago, but in the past few centuries they have been selectively bred for specific personality or physical traits. The result is 400 distinct breeds that range from the six-pound Chihuahua to the 120-pound Great Dane. The unintended consequence of this breeding is that many dog breeds are prone to specific genetic diseases, including heart disease, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, cancer, blindness, cataracts and deafness. In fact, more than 360 diseases in man&amp;#039;s best friend have counterparts in humans, and the clinical manifestations are shockingly similar. Because of the high prevalence of specific diseases in particular breeds, gene hunting in dogs is more straightforward. Dogs are the most intensely studied animals in clinical practice, and they often have long family pedigrees and medical histories. Having the dog genome will guide pharmaceutical safety assessments and new experimental gene therapies, many of which are being done in dogs.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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