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Background  The main function of hemoglobin (Hb) is to transport oxygen in the circulation. It is among the most highly studied proteins due to its roles in physiology and disease, and most of our understanding derives from comparative research. There is great diversity in Hb gene evolution in placental mammals, mostly in the repertoire and regulation of the β-globin subunits. Dogs are an ideal model in which to study Hb genes because: 1) they are members of Laurasiatheria, our closest relatives outside of Euarchontoglires (including primates, rodents and rabbits), 2) dog breeds are isolated populations with their own Hb-associated genetics and diseases, and 3) their high level of health care allows for development of biomedical investigation and translation.    Results  We established that dogs have a complement of five α and five β-globin genes, all of which can be detected as spliced mRNA in adults. Strikingly, HBD, the allegedly-unnecessary adult β-globin protein in humans, is the primary adult β-globin in dogs and other carnivores; moreover, dogs have two active copies of the  HBD  gene. In contrast, the dominant adult β-globin of humans,  HBB , has high sequence divergence and is expressed at markedly lower levels in dogs. We also showed that canine  HBD  and  HBB  genes are complex chimeras that resulted from multiple gene conversion events between them. Lastly, we showed that the strongest signal of evolutionary selection in a high-altitude breed, the Bernese Mountain Dog, lies in a haplotype block that spans the β-globin locus.    Conclusions  We report the first molecular genetic characterization of Hb genes in dogs. We found important distinctions between adult β-globin expression in carnivores compared to other members of Laurasiatheria. Our findings are also likely to raise new questions about the significance of human  HBD . The comparative genomics of dog hemoglobin genes sets the stage for diverse research and translation.    Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3513-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Comparative genomics of canine hemoglobin genes reveals primacy of beta subunit delta in adult carnivores