Association of DNA methylation and monoamine oxidase A gene expression in the brains of different dog breeds

• The monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene is an important candidate gene.
• MAOA encodes an enzyme regulating the metabolism of key neurotransmitters.
• The patterns of MAOA expression and DNA methylation may be involved in breed-specific or individual behavior.
• The transcription levels of MAOA were also different in the brains of different dog breeds.
• The differential expression and DNA methylation of MAOA may contribute to differences in behavioral phenotypes of breeds.

The monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene is an important candidate gene for human behavior that encodes an enzyme regulating the metabolism of key neurotransmitters. The regulatory mechanisms of the MAOA gene in dogs are yet to be elucidated. We measured MAOA gene transcription and analyzed the VNTR genotype and methylation status of the gene promoter region in different dog breeds to determine whether MAOA expression is correlated with the MAOA genotype or epigenetic modification in dogs. We found brain-specific expression of the MAOA gene and different transcription levels in different dog breeds including Beagle, Sapsaree, and German shepherd, and also a robust association of the DNA methylation of the gene promoter with mRNA levels. However, the 90 bp tandem repeats that we observed near the transcription start site were not variable, indicating no correlation with canine MAOA activity. These results show that differential DNA methylation in the MAOA promoter region may affect gene expression by modulating promoter activity. Moreover, the distinctive patterns of MAOA expression and DNA methylation may be involved in breed-specific or individual behavioral characteristics, such as aggression, because behavioral phenotypes are related to different physiological and neuroendocrine responses.