Abstract: Provided is a method for identifying dogs as likely to be genetically normal, carriers of, or affected with progressive rod-cone degeneration comprising analyzing nucleic acids from a dog and determining the presence or absence of one or more prcd polymorphisms in the nucleic acids. Representative prcd polymorphisms characteristic of a prcd haplotype are also provided.

Abstract: A method for treating an ocular disorder characterized by the defect or absence of a normal gene in the ocular cells of a human or animal subject involves administering to the subject by subretinal injection an effective amount of a recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying a nucleic acid sequence encoding the normal gene under the control of a promoter sequence which expresses the product of the gene in the ocular cells. The ocular cells are preferably retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and the gene is preferably an RPE-specific gene, e.g., RPE65. The promoter is one that can express the gene product in the RPE cells. Compositions for subretinal administration are useful in this method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying dogs which are genetically normal, heterozygous for, or homozygous for the mutation primarily responsible for Collie eye anomaly (CEA). The method comprises the steps of obtaining a biological sample from a dog and testing DNA in the biological sample for the presence or absence of a 7.8 kilobase deletion within chromosome 37 in which the CEA mutation is located. No deletion is indicative of a normal dog. A deletion on one allele of chromosome 37 is indicative of a dog that is heterozygous for the CEA mutation. A deletion in both alleles of chromosome 37 are indicative of a dog that is homozygous for the CEA mutation. Also provided is a kit for identifying a dog as normal, heterozygous for, or homozygous for the CEA mutation.

Abstract: Tools and methods are provided for determining whether or not a dog is genetically normal, is a carrier of, or is affected with or predisposed to progressive rod-cone degeneration. The method is based on the detection of a transversion from G to A at position corresponding to nucleotide position 1298 of SEQ ID NO: 1.

Abstract: Provided are nucleic acid molecules which comprise at least a portion of a polymorphic genetic marker for determining whether a canine has a mutated progressive rod-cone degeneration disease (prcd) gene locus in one or both alleles. The genetic markers are located on canine chromosome 9 in a genomic region identified as the prcd-informative region. A method for making genetic markers representing polymorphic sequences located in the prcd-informative region of canine chromosome 9 comprises isolating a polymorphic DNA sequence in the prcd-informative region, using oligonucleotides complementary with at least a portion of the sequence to amplify the sequence, and analyzing canine chromosome 9 in a prcd-informative pedigree for the ability of the polymorphic sequence to co-segregate with the prcd gene locus by a linkage test.