Canine Genetics and Epidemiology(CGE) is a new peer-reviewed open access journal, published by BioMed Central with the support and backing of the Kennel Club, the UK’s largest organisation dedicated to the health and welfare of dogs.
CGE is now accepting manuscript submissions via the journal’s homepage. The journal will consider genetic, genomic and epidemiological research in both domestic and wild canids, relating to breed and species diversity as well as canine evolution. It will not publish articles describing research generated through experimental procedures that inflict pain and suffering to animals.
The journal’s aim is to disseminate research not only between scientists, but also to inform veterinarians, dog breeders and owners. Each article published in the journal will be accompanied by a summary of key points for non-specialists.
Dr Cathryn Mellersh is Head of Canine Genetics at the Animal Health Trust and is on the editorial board of Canine Genetics and Epidemiology:
The 3D organization of chromatin plays a role in initiation and/or maintenance of the distinct epigenetic landscapes and gene expression in pluripotency and likely, also the differentiation process itself.
In recent years, two types of interaction domains have been determined and discussed in detail:
TADs, (Topologically associating domains) where the majority of promoter-promoter and promoter-enhancer interactions occur.
LRI (long-range interactions) span across TADs as well as chromosomes.
The current view is that global interaction dynamics are limited, while fine-tuning of local interactions is more frequent and linked to transcriptional regulation.
Relevance of 3D chromatin organization changes
Very recently, two different manuscripts have pointed out the relevance of 3D chromatin organization changes, in particular, they have newly described:
ELRI: Extremely Long-Range Promoter-Promoter Interactions within cells.
As reported by Schoenfelder & colleagues, promoter capture Hi-C (A technique that uses RNA or DNA ‘baits’ to pull out just the desired loci from the melting pot of the millions and millions of genomic interactions in the genome) has suggested that Polycomb complexes act through controlling spatial genome organization.
Polycomb complexes, such as PRC1 and PRC2, are families of proteins that deposit and interpret H3K27me3 marks in order to remodel chromatin to enable the epigenetic silencing of genes. They propose that the selective release of genes from this spatial network underlies cell fate specification.
This scenario is also strengthened by, Joshi, Wang & colleagues who suggested through the basis of their enhancer and promoter capture Hi-C study that changes in this 3D reorganization likely occur during early development.
This suggests that a dynamic control occurs via a spatiotemporal transition from the ground state to the primed state of ESC for differentiation. In this context, PRC2 may act as an initiator of ELRIs by deposition of H3K27me3 and subsequent recruitment of PRC1, which may be the physical mediator of ELRIs.
An orchestrated program
The different 3D chromatin organization and its diverse levels of interactions open the way to a different concept of biomedical approaches.
The overall organization of ELRI contacts suggests an orchestrated program that involves reshaping of the transcriptome, epigenome, and 3D interactome during differentiation.
Although the functional relevance of these fluctuations in both physiology and pathology still needs to be addressed further, it is tempting to speculate on the existence of a potentially reversible ‘code’ based on the 3D chromatin interactions within cells.
Future studies will need to clarify the potential of ELRI and of the 3D status of chromatin in modulating cellular functions. Clearly, the different 3D chromatin organization and its diverse levels of interactions open the way to a different concept of biomedical approaches. These need to take into account the different dimension structure within the cells and their relevance in the definition of cell identity as a target point for intervention.
“I am hugely enthusiastic about the new journal, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, whose submission system launched this morning. The current field of canine genetics and epidemiology is an extremely dynamic and exciting discipline to be a part of, but it is vitally important that all canine stakeholders, and not just scientists, can access, understand and ultimately implement the findings from all this research.
A key, and unique, feature of CGE is its aim to make research findings accessible to veterinarians, dog breeders and owners, as well scientists, and to facilitate this aim each published article will include an extended lay summary plus key “take home messages” for non-specialists and an educated lay readership. I believe this aim will set CGE apart from other similar journals in the sector, and means CGE will play a central role in disseminating the research riches that the dog provides.”
The Kennel Club Educational Trust will cover 50% of the article processing charge for manuscripts published in the area of domestic dog health. Please contact the editorial office at cgejournal@biomedcentral.com for more information.
To find out more about the journal, or to submit a manuscript, please visit the journal website at www.cgejournal.org or contact the editorial office at the above email address.
You can also sign up here to be alerted when the journal publishes its first articles.
Matt Landau
Journal Development Editor, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology
Matt looks after a portfolio of animal and plant science journals. Before joining BioMed Central in 2011, he worked at an NHS Primary Care Trust and as a freelance researcher for Katachi Magazine.
CGE is now accepting manuscript submissions via the journal’s homepage. The journal will consider genetic, genomic and epidemiological research in both domestic and wild canids, relating to breed and species diversity as well as canine evolution. It will not publish articles describing research generated through experimental procedures that inflict pain and suffering to animals.
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