Title

Defining and Mapping Mammalian Coat Pattern Genes: Multiple Genomic Regions Implicated in Domestic Cat Stripes and Spots

Authors

Eduardo Eizirik, National Cancer Institute at Frederick; PUCRS - Brazil; Instituto Pro-Carnovoros - Brazil
Victor A. David, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Valerie A. Buckley-Beason, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Melody E. Roelke, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
Alejandro A. Schaffer, National Institutes of Health - Bethesda
Steven S. Hannah, Nestle Purina PetCare Company
Kristina Narfstrom, University of Missouri - Columbia
Stephen J. O'Brien, National Cancer Institute at FrederickFollow
Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, National Cancer Institute at Frederick

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-8-2010

Publication Title

Genetics

ISSN

0016-6731

Volume

184

Issue/No.

1

First Page

267

Last Page

275

Abstract

Mammalian coat patterns (e.g., spots, stripes) are hypothesized to play important roles in camouflage and other relevant processes, yet the genetic and developmental bases for these phenotypes are completely unknown. The domestic cat, with its diversity of coat patterns, is an excellent model organism to investigate these phenomena. We have established three independent pedigrees to map the four recognized pattern variants classically considered to be specified by a single locus, Tabby; in order of dominance, these are the unpatterned agouti form called “Abyssinian” or “ticked” (T^a), followed by Spotted (T^s), Mackerel (T^M), and Blotched (t^b). We demonstrate that at least three different loci control the coat markings of the domestic cat. One locus, responsible for the Abyssinian form (herein termed the Ticked locus), maps to an ∼3.8-Mb region on cat chromosome B1. A second locus controls the Tabby alleles T^M and t^b, and maps to an ∼5-Mb genomic region on cat chromosome A1. One or more additional loci act as modifiers and create a spotted coat by altering mackerel stripes. On the basis of our results and associated observations, we hypothesize that mammalian patterned coats are formed by two distinct processes: a spatially oriented developmental mechanism that lays down a species-specific pattern of skin cell differentiation and a pigmentation-oriented mechanism that uses information from the preestablished pattern to regulate the synthesis of melanin profiles.

Comments

©2010 by the Genetics Society of America

Additional Comments

National Cancer Institute contract #: N01-CO-12400

NSUWorks Citation

Eizirik, Eduardo; Victor A. David; Valerie A. Buckley-Beason; Melody E. Roelke; Alejandro A. Schaffer; Steven S. Hannah; Kristina Narfstrom; Stephen J. O'Brien; and Marilyn Menotti-Raymond. 2010. "Defining and Mapping Mammalian Coat Pattern Genes: Multiple Genomic Regions Implicated in Domestic Cat Stripes and Spots." Genetics 184, (1): 267-275. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/453

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015