Two methods for genotyping a 4-base deletion in the canine ABCB1 gene

A 4-bp deletion (c.230_233delATAG) of the ABCB1 gene, frequently found in various dog breeds, results in intolerance to certain drugs routinely used in veterinary medicine, including many chemotherapeutic agents and macrocyclic lactones. The use of rapid and reliable genetic testing is fundamental for early detection of the mutation and prevention of undesirable toxicoses. We developed and compared 2 genotyping tests: PCR-high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM) and PCR-restriction-fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to identify the 4-bp deletion in the ABCB1 gene of canine breeds. Amplified PCR products were sequenced in order to confirm different genotypes. Both techniques were efficient in discriminating homozygous wild-type, homozygous mutated, and heterozygous ABCB1 genotypes, and proved to be reproducible and economical methods. The HRM analysis, a sensitive and specific method for the molecular detection of genetic disorders, does not require labeled probes, processing, or separations after PCR.