We are keen to find collaborators for this project. To be effective large numbers of samples need to be tested and a large number of loci tested so there is a lot of scope for other interested laboratories to be involved without duplicating effort. Of course the project cannot succeed without the goodwill of those with dingoes in providing samples. Another factor in determining its success may be whether we can attract some funding for the project. Molecular work is quite expensive and a conservative estimate of costs for a student working in the lab on such a project is $5,000 per annum without considering travel for sample collection. Any advice on possible novel sources of funds would be greatly appreciated.
The questions to be addressed in this project are:
Can hybridisation between dingoes and domestic dogs be detected in their descendants? Is there genetic evidence of division of the dingo population into isolated subgroups or races?
We have recently begun a research project to detect genetic differences between Australian dingoes and domestic dogs. We will use molecular techniques, testing DNA samples extracted from blood and preserved skins using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The highly polymorphic, nuclear microsatellite loci that are extensively used in our lab for mapping dog disease genes will be used, as well as mitochondrial DNA markers. Other discriminating loci may be developed.
We hope to find differences between the dingo and domestic dog that can be used to detect hybrids and their descendants. We hope to examine gene transfer from domestic breeds into the dingo and vice versa. We will examine genetic variation in present day dingo as well as dingoes from the past through DNA extracted from preserved skins. The data will be examined for correlations of genetic variation with location to test whether the dingo is a single genetically uniform species. A large number of genetic loci will need to be tested so that there is a high probability of finding loci with diagnostic alleles (alleles unique to either dog or dingo).
We are making an appeal for blood samples from dingoes in captivity or in the wild, as well as frozen or preserved tissue samples. For this project to be successful a large number of dingoes and dogs need to be typed. This is best done as a collaborative project and zoos can play a large part by providing samples. Part of the project will form the basis for a Master of Science degree being undertaken by David Steward from Merigal under the supervision of Alan Wilton (Biochemistry) and Bill Sherwin (Biological Science) at University of NSW.
We will gratefully accept samples from any dingo. We would like to receive the name or identification of the animal with a brief description, sex, the area of the country that the animal or ancestors originated, (latitude and longitude or Australian Map Grid reference or distance and direction from the Post Office of the closest town, if known), pedigree or relationship to other captive dingoes, an assessment of its breed purity and the basis of the assessment, any potential risk of cross-hybridisation with dogs in its ancestors. Any results for particular animals would be kept confidential and released only to the supplier of the sample.
We do not currently have any funding for this project so donations towards it would be gratefully accepted. We hope to raise some funds by doing contract work determining the pedigree of animals for a fee of $50 per sample. First we need more samples from dingoes to establish the differentiation criteria.
Specimen Handling: The ideal sample would be two 10 ml blood samples in EDTA tubes. These can be mailed fresh in appropriate containers or stored frozen for later shipment on dry-ice. EDTA tubes and mail containers are available on request.
| Alan Wilton |
| School of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics |
| University of NSW |
| Sydney NSW 2052 |
| Phone +61 2 385 2019 |
| Fax +61 2 313 6271 |
| E-mail a.wilton@unsw.edu.au |