UTHealth Houston researchers complete brown rat genome sequence

A team led by Peter Doris, PhD, at UTHealth Houston's Center for Human Genetics assembled the most complete DNA profile of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). Published in Cell Genomics, the high‑quality genome reveals more than 60 previously unsequenced genes and shows that the rat’s sex chromosomes lack the pseudoautosomal region found in most mammals, causing a distinct head‑to‑tail pairing mechanism.

The new reference genome provides a detailed genetic fingerprint that will improve preclinical studies using rats, helping researchers investigate genetic links to heart disease, kidney disease, hypertension, stroke and other conditions.

These findings give scientists a more accurate starting point for disease‑related research and may accelerate the development of therapeutic strategies that rely on rat models.