Independent Origin and Restricted Distribution of RPGR Deletions Causing XLPRA

Canine X-linked progressive retinal atrophy (XLPRA) is an inherited blinding disorder caused by mutations in the ORF15 of the RPGR gene and homolog to human retinitis pigmentosa 3 (RP3). The disease is observed in 2 variations, XLPRA1 in Siberian husky and samoyed and XLPRA2 derived from mongrel dogs. A third, neutral, deletion has been described in red wolves. Haplotype analysis of the 633-kbp RP3 interval in 6 different canidae confirmed the same decent for the XLPRA1 mutation in both affected breeds but suggests a recent and independent origin for both forms of XLPRA. The RP3 interval was excluded from causative associations with blindness in the red wolf and akita, a breed closely related to Nordic sled dogs. Overall, these data suggest a limited distribution of the affected haplotypes and indicate that mutations in the ORF15 are likely to be limited to the described dog breeds.