Efficiency of blood protein systems as genetic markers for parentage verification in Yugoslav shepherd dog

The study aimed to evaluate the utility of blood protein systems of the Yugoslav Shepherd dog as genetic markers for parentage verification in this breed. Polymorphism of hemoglobin (Hb), acid phosphatase (Acp), superoxide dismutase (Sod), albumin (Al), and transferrin (Tf) was analysed by vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in 60 blood samples. Out of the five tested markers, Hb was the only monomorphic and, thus, of no value for parentage analysis in the Yugoslav Shepherd dog. The Acp, Sod and Al loci exhibited a certain degree of polymorphism, but their efficiency as single markers for parentage control was relatively low. The paternity exclusion probabilities established were 12.7%, 15.5% and 16.6% for Acp, Sod and Al, respectively. Tf as a genetic marker displayed a significantly higher efficacy since it was able to reach the 49% power of exclusion for parentage verification. Joined parentage exclusion probability for a panel of four protein systems displaying polymorphism, Acp, Sod, Al and Tf, was 68.5%. In comparison with results of previous studies investigating blood protein systems as markers for canine parentage testing, the panel of markers tested in our study displayed high discriminatory power and provided a substantial probability of resolution in parentage verification for the Yugoslav Shepherd dog.