Whole genome sequencing identifies genetic candidates for high-frequency hearing loss in canaries (serinus canaria).

This article focuses on identifying genetic mutations associated with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss in two domesticated canary strains selectively bred for low-pitched songs: the Belgian Waterslager (BWS) and American Singer (AS) canaries. Whole-genome sequencing revealed male-specific "high-impact" single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BWS canaries within genes previously linked to mammalian hair cell abnormalities and hearing loss—pericentriolar material 1 (PCM1), p21 (RAC1) activated kinase 3 (PAK3-like), and protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type K (PTPRK)—primarily located on the Z chromosome. In AS canaries, three male-specific high-impact SNPs were identified, including mutations in the RWD domain containing 2 A (RWDD2a) gene, also associated with hearing loss in mammals but not located on the Z chromosome. These findings suggest distinct genetic mechanisms underlie similar auditory deficits in these strains, offering valuable animal models for studying the relationship between hearing loss, hair cell pathology, and vocal development.