Krasnoyarsk scientists found genes responsible for the physical resemblance of people and their pets. In accordance with this gene people choose pets which look like their owners. The results of the investigations were presented at the international conference «Eureka», which is annually held in the Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS on the 1st of April.<br>
Many of us have asked ourselves, why pets look like their owners. This problem has also turned out to be interesting even for scientists. <br>
The researchers of the Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS have revealed special genes in people having pets, these genes are responsible for the resemblance of the pets and their owners. Moreover, for the owners of different pets different genes have been found. The gene CAT has been found in cat owners and the gene GAT in dog owners. <br>
The scientists have analyzed 50 genomes of people who have dogs and cats looking like their owners and compared them with the control group consisting of people who hate pets. Also, for comparison a group of people has been taken whose pets dot not look like the owners. In each sample the sequences of nucleotides in each seventh chromosome have been studied. It is the nucleotides which are a sort of an alphabet recording our genetic code. In the humans whose cats look like the owners, the gene named CAT is activated. In dog owners the active nucleotide sequence is different. This gene is called GAT. If the pets do not look like the owners at all the corresponding genes are not active or they are destroyed. Surprisingly, it is the special genes which make people choose pets looking like them. <br>
A genome includes a great number of genes. Genes influence many aspects of our life, mental health, diseases, personal characteristics, abilities, inclinations. It turns out that they even influence our choice of pets, says Marina Smirnova, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, research associate of the Krasnoyarsk Science Center. <br>
The scientists are planning to continue their research and to study the genomes of the owners of fish, hamsters and other pets.
     The work has been conducted under the support of the German Foundation "Pets and Human."

*In the framework of the 1st of April Conference of Young Scientists