Editing Basenji (section)

==Lineage==
The Basenji has been identified as a [[Dog breed#Basal breeds|basal breed]] that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century.<ref name=larson2012/> DNA studies based on [[Whole genome sequencing|whole-genome sequences]] indicate that the basenji and the dingo are both considered to be [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] members of the domestic dog [[clade]].<ref name=Fan2016/><ref name=koepfli2015/><ref name=freedman2014/>

In 2021, the [[genome]] of two basenjis were [[Genome assembly|assembled]], which indicated that the basenji fell within the [[Spitz#Asian breeds|Asian spitz]] group.<ref name=Edwards2021/> The [[AMY2B]] gene produces an enzyme, [[amylase]], that helps to digest starch. The [[wolf]], the [[husky]] and the dingo possess only two copies of this gene, which provides evidence that they arose before the expansion of agriculture.<ref name=freedman2014/> The genomic study found that similarly, the basenji possesses only two copies of this gene.<ref name=Edwards2021/>