Pedigree and Molecular Analyses in the Assessment of Genetic Variability of the Polish Greyhound

animals Article Pedigree and Molecular Analyses in the Assessment of Genetic Variability of the Polish Greyhound Małgorzata Goleman 1,* , Ireneusz Balicki 2 , Anna Radko 3 , Iwona Rozempolska-Ruci ńska 4 and Grzegorz Zi˛eba 4 1 Department of Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland 2 Department and Clinic of Animal Surgery, University of Life Sciences, Gł˛eboka30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland; [email protected] 3 Department of Animal Molecular Biology, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska 1, 32-083 Balice, Poland; [email protected] 4 Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; [email protected] (I.R.-R.); [email protected] (G.Z.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Simple Summary: The Polish Greyhound is an old Polish breed. The first descriptions of hunting with greyhounds can be found in the hunting literature of the 16th century, and the first detailed description of a greyhound comes from 1600. The Polish Greyhound probably originates from the Saluki-type Asian greyhounds. The population of this breed is very small and limited mainly to the territory of its country of origin (Poland). Pedigree books were opened for this breed in 1981. The narrow gene pool necessitated mating relatives, resulting in the appearance of various genetic diseases in the breed. The analysis of Polish Greyhound pedigrees registered in the pedigree books from the time of the registration of the breed and molecular tests facilitated calculation of the degree of relatedness in the breed and to design future breeding plans, taking into account that a 2.56% Citation: Goleman, M.; Balicki, I.; increase in inbreeding per complete generation will be observed if the current breeding program and Radko, A.; Rozempolska-Rucińska,I.; similar matings are maintained. Zi˛eba,G. Pedigree and Molecular Analyses in the Assessment of Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the genetic variability of the Polish Greyhound pop- Genetic Variability of the Polish ulation based on pedigree analysis and molecular DNA testing and to determine the degree of Greyhound. Animals 2021, 11, 353. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020353 relatedness among individuals in the population. Pedigree data of 912 Polish Greyhounds recorded in pedigree books since they were opened for this breed were analyzed. For molecular testing, DNA Academic Editor: Michael E. Davis was obtained from cheek swabs taken from 235 dogs of the tested breed. A panel of 21 markers (Short Received: 24 November 2020 Tandem Repeat—STR) was used. The mean inbreeding determined for the Polish Greyhound popu- Accepted: 26 January 2021 lation based on pedigree analyses was low and amounted to 11.8%, but as many as 872 individuals Published: 31 January 2021 of the 912 dogs in the studied population were inbred. A total of 83 founders (at least one unknown parent) were identified, among which 27 founders had both unknown parents. Full-sibling groups Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral consisted of 130 individuals, with a minimum and maximum litter size of 2 and 16, respectively. The with regard to jurisdictional claims in average litter size was 5.969. Gene diversity calculated based on the mean kinship matrix was 0.862 published maps and institutional affil- and the population mean kinship was 0.138. The founder genome equivalent based on the mean iations. kinship matrix was 3.61; the founder genome surviving level was 12.34; the mean Ne was estimated at 21.76; and the Ne/N ratio was 0.135. The FIS inbreeding coefficient for 21 STR was negative, and the mean FIS value for all loci had a low negative value (−0.018). These values suggest a low level of inbreeding in the examined breed as well as the avoidance of mating related animals. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Keywords: Polish Greyhound; pedigree analysis; founders; molecular analysis This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Animals 2021, 11, 353. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020353 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals Animals 2021, 11, 353 2 of 14 1. Introduction The Polish Greyhound is the oldest Polish dog breed. Even the medieval chronicles of Gallus Anonymus report the considerable expenses of the royal court for the maintenance of greyhounds. The first descriptions of hunting with greyhounds can be found in the hunting literature of the 16th century, and the first accurate description of a greyhound at that time dates to 1600. The Polish Greyhound probably comes from the Saluki-type Animals 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEWAsian greyhound. It was originally used for hunting fowl (e.g., great bustards). It2 is of a15 large, muscular, strong dog, clearly stronger than other short-haired sighthounds. Strong bones, compact body, distinct muscles, and strong jaws prove that the dog was used for hunting in the difficult conditions of the Polish climate (Figures1 and2). It was very difficult1. Introduction to recreate the breed in the post-war years (World War II), as there were only a fewThe individuals Polish Greyhound left, which is were the oldest mostly Polish in the dog hands breed. of poachers.Even the medieval By a resolution chronicles of Januaryof Gallus 25, Anonymus 1981, the Plenum report ofthe the considerable Main Board expenses of the Polish of the Kennel royal Club court decided for the tomainte- open thenance Preliminary of greyhounds. Book forThe the first Polish descriptions Greyhound. of hunting Małgorzata with greyhounds Szmurło was can responsible be found in forthe the hunting care of literature documentation of the 16th and century, breeding and development the first accurate [1]. Based description on the of literature a greyhound and iconography,at that time dates the standard to 1600. of The the Polish Polish Greyhound Greyhound probably breed was comes developed from inthe 1981. Saluki It- wastype fullyAsian recognized greyhound. by It the wasFéd originallyération Cynologique used for Internationalehunting fowl(FCI) (e.g., ingreat 1988, bustards and the). breedIt is a standardlarge, muscular, was entered strong under dog, number clearly stronger 333 [2]. than other short-haired sighthounds. Strong bones,Due compact to the small body, number distinct of muscles, individuals and and strong a small jaws gene prove pool, that various the dog defects, was probably used for geneticallyhunting in determined,the difficult areconditions beginning of the to appearPolish inclimate this breed. (FigureTherefore,s 1 and 2). the It was Club very of thedif- Polishficult Greyhoundto recreate the (part breed of the in Polishthe post Kennel-war years Club) (World began toWar monitor II), as thethere breed were for only diseases a few suchindividuals as congenital left, which eye defects were mostly or hip in dysplasia. the hands Information of poachers. provided By a resolution by investigations of January of25, the 1981, genetic the Plenum structure of of the the Main population Board of such the as Polish the effective Kennel populationClub decided size, to analysisopen the ofPreliminary the genetic Book structure, for the and Polish detection Greyhound of historical. Małgorzata bottlenecks Szmurło [3 ]was is particularly responsible useful for the incare rare of native documentation dog breeds and in whichbreeding the development so-called genetic [1]. Based bottleneck on the is observed.literature and It is icono- most oftengraphy, associated the standard with the of the use Polish of several Greyhound popular studbreed dogs was anddeveloped a small in gene 1981. pool It withinwas fully a smallrecognized population. by the ThisFédération reduces Cynologique the genetic Internationale diversity of ( theFCI) population in 1988, and and the increases breed stand- the incidenceard was entered of unfavorable under number alleles and333 thus[2]. hereditary diseases [4]. FigureFigure 1. 1. BodyBody ofof a Polish Greyhound Greyhound,, female: female: IZIS IZIS Akacjana Akacjana—owner—owner Marta Marta Kościańska Ko´sciańska(photo: (photo: MartaMarta Ko´sciańska). Kościańska). Animals 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 15 Animals 2021, 11, 353 3 of 14 FigureFigure 2. 2. HeadHead ofof aa Polish Greyhound Greyhound.. female: female: TRZMIELINA TRZMIELINA Divinacanis, Divinacanis, in in grizzly grizzly color color with with domino marks—breeder and owner, Marta Kościańska (photo: Marta Kościańska). domino marks—breeder and owner, Marta Ko´sciańska(photo: Marta Ko´sciańska). WhenDue to properly the small kept, number studbooks of individuals for breeding and a animals small gene provide pool, complete various defects, information prob- onably a given genetically population determined, and are are a useful beginning source to ofappear data forin this analyzing breed. Therefore, the genetic the diversity Club of andthe structurePolish Greyhound of a given (part population. of the Polish Pedigree Kennel books Club) are a began key element to monitor of breeding the breed work, for especiallydiseases such in the as case congenital of breeds eye that defects are not or numerous. hip dysplasia The. possibility Information of registeringprovided by individ- inves- ualstigations of unknown of the genetic origin (NN)structure in pedigree of the population books may such help toas increasethe effect theive genetic population diversity size, ofanalysis such breeds. of the genetic Molecular structure, tests, which and detection yield valuable of historical information bottlenecks about [3] protection is particularly and managementuseful in rare ofnative a given dog species,breeds in can which help the to so monitor-called genetic changes bottleneck taking place is observed. within theIt is studiedmost often group associated of individuals. with the DNA use microsatelliteof several popular markers stud (Short dogs Tandem and a small Repeat—STR), gene pool whichwithin allow a small direct population.

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