Balto is one of the most famous dogs in the world. After saving an entire city in Alaska, the famous sled dog has his statue in Central Park, New York, a cartoon to his glory... and now a scientific study dedicated to him.

In 1925, Balto participated in an expedition to Alaska, the "Serum Race." The goal was to save the inhabitants of a small, remote town by bringing an antidiphtheria drug. In the blizzard and despite the extreme temperatures, the dog led his congeners and the sled for the last tens of kilometers.


DNA study of famed US sled dog shows what made him so tough.

In 1925, Siberian husky Balto was part of an grueling expedition in Alaska to bring life-saving medicine to the remote town of Nomehttps://t.co/aUozopRSzQ pic.twitter.com/9poD9DIBxO

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 28, 2023

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Balto compared to modern dogs

Stuffed after his death in 1933, it is now exhibited in Cleveland (United States). His remains allowed, 90 years after his death, an analysis of his DNA to study his legendary endurance. A "great opportunity", according to the study's lead author, Katherine Moon, to "see what this population of sled dogs looked like genetically, and compare it to modern dogs".

For this study, published Thursday in the journal Science, the researchers took samples from the skin of Balto's belly and reconstructed his genome. They then compared it with the genome of more than 680 modern dogs representing 135 breeds. The analysis did not discern any wolf ancestor in the DNA, despite the legend that Balto was half wolf.


The genome of the 1920s Siberian husky Balto suggests that greater genetic diversity and less inbreeding contribute to better health https://t.co/Z5sYQmhpR5

— Scientific American (@sciam) April 27, 2023

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The researchers also compared its genetic heritage to the genome alignment of 240 mammalian species, as part of an international collaboration called the Zoonomia Project. This technique makes it possible to determine which parts of DNA are the same across all species, and therefore have not changed over millions of years of evolution.

This stability indicates that these are areas with important functions, and that mutations at their level could be dangerous. As a result, Balto exhibited fewer potentially dangerous variations than modern dog breeds, indicating likely better health.

"Balto leads the way"

Finally, the study sought to reconstruct Balto's physical appearance from his genome, with results consistent with historical photos and his preserved remains. The historic canid had a shoulder height of 55 cm and a black coat with a tiny bit of white.

"This project gives everyone an idea of what is starting to be possible through comparisons with genomes of increasing quality," said Moon. "These are things we've never done before. I feel like an explorer, and again, Balto is leading the way. »

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