The genetic architecture of behavior in the German Shepherd Dog doi-10-17044-scilifelab-33411484-0 https://doi.org/10.17044/SCILIFELAB.33411484 Swedish National Data Service Svensk nationell datatjänst Landing page The genetic architecture of behavior in the German Shepherd Dog doi-10-17044-scilifelab-33411484-0 https://doi.org/10.17044/SCILIFELAB.33411484 Marinescu, Voichita Tengvall, Katarina Swedish National Data Service Svensk nationell datatjänst Landing page This repository contains the dataset used to identify genetic determinants of behavior in German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) by using a cohort of 373 dogs genotyped on the Illumina 170K CanineHD Bead Chip to search for genome-wide associations with behavioral variables and personality traits measured by the Dog Mentality Assessment (DMA), a standardized dog behavior evaluation widely used in Sweden. We performed exploratory factor analyses (EFA) on DMA data from a large sample of GSDs (n = 23,109) to confirm previously identified behavioral traits. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses of the genotype data revealed strong population stratification within our cohort highlighting two clusters identified by merits as working and show sub-populations differing in most of their DMA scores. These behavioral differences were strongly correlated with BOLDNESS— a higher-order trait considered a measure of the shyness-boldness personality continuum in dogs. For each of the 40 traits/behavioral variables analyzed (33 behavioral variables, 6 traits and one second-order trait BOLDNESS), we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to search for signals common to all dogs in our cohort and also for those specific to the working and the show sub-populations, respectively. The strongest association signals were found for traits/behavioral variables correlating with BOLDNESS as, for example, on CFA1 within a region encompassing the TCF4 gene for which, in humans, multiple associations with neuroticism (a reverse equivalent in humans of BOLDNESS in dogs) were reported. Signals of association were found in regions containing genes with important roles in the nervous system and associations with comparable personality traits, such as neuroticism, in humans. Our results indicate that within-breed selection in GSDs has had an effect on the shyness-boldness personality continuum. Access to data through an external actor. Åtkomst till data via extern aktör.