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Article: Paw prints: how scientists use DNA to learn about the past, present, and future of dog breeds.
- Article from:
- Science World
- Article date:
- January 16, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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What's a bagel? If you answered ring-shaped bread, you re only partly correct.
A bagel is also a type of dog--a cross between a basset hound and a beagle. This mixed-breed dog with floppy ears and short legs may not be prized as a household pet yet. But if demand for bagels increases and its population swells, the dog may be recognized as an official breed, or a group of organisms descended from common ancestors.
For centuries, humans have selectively coupled different dog breeds. The goal: to create a new breed that carries the most desired traits, or inherited characteristics, of both its parents (see Nuts & Bolts, p. 11). For example, a breeder might ...