Scientists Have Finally Found the Gene That Gives Cats Orange Fur (science.org) 40
Slashdot reader sciencehabit writes:
Most orange cats are boys, a quirk of feline genetics that also explains why almost all calicos and tortoiseshells are girls. Scientists curious about those sex differences—or perhaps just cat lovers—have spent more than 60 years unsuccessfully seeking the gene that causes orange fur and the striking patchwork of colors in calicos and tortoiseshells. Now, two teams have independently found the long-awaited mutation and discovered a protein that influences hair color in a way never seen before in any animal... Using skin samples collected from various cats, the researchers were able to hone in a mutation on the X chromosome that impacts how much of a protein a gene called Arhgap36 produces. Increasing the amount of the Arhgap36 in pigment producing cells called melanocytes activates a molecular pathway that produces a light red pigment.
"Scanning a database of 188 cat genomes, Barsh's team found every single orange, calico, and tortoiseshell cat had the exact same mutation," writes Science magazine. "The group reports the discovery this month on the preprint server bioRxiv. A separate study, also posted to bioRxiv this month, confirms these findings... They also found that skin from calico cats had more Arghap36 RNA in orange regions than in brown or black regions." Arhgap36's inactivation pattern in calicos and tortoiseshells is typical of a gene on the X chromosome, says Carolyn Brown [a University of British Columbia geneticist who was not involved in either study], but it's unusual that a deletion mutation would make a gene more active, not less. "There is probably something special about cats." Experts are thrilled by the two studies. "It's a long-awaited gene," says Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist at the University of Missouri. The discovery of a new molecular pathway for hair color was unexpected, she says, but she's not surprised how complex the interactions seem to be. "No gene ever stands by itself."
Lyons would like to know where and when the mutation first appeared: There is some evidence, she says, that certain mummified Egyptian cats were orange. Research into cat color has revealed all kinds of phenomena, she says, including how the environment influences gene expression. "Everything you need to know about genetics you can learn from your cat."
"Scanning a database of 188 cat genomes, Barsh's team found every single orange, calico, and tortoiseshell cat had the exact same mutation," writes Science magazine. "The group reports the discovery this month on the preprint server bioRxiv. A separate study, also posted to bioRxiv this month, confirms these findings... They also found that skin from calico cats had more Arghap36 RNA in orange regions than in brown or black regions." Arhgap36's inactivation pattern in calicos and tortoiseshells is typical of a gene on the X chromosome, says Carolyn Brown [a University of British Columbia geneticist who was not involved in either study], but it's unusual that a deletion mutation would make a gene more active, not less. "There is probably something special about cats." Experts are thrilled by the two studies. "It's a long-awaited gene," says Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist at the University of Missouri. The discovery of a new molecular pathway for hair color was unexpected, she says, but she's not surprised how complex the interactions seem to be. "No gene ever stands by itself."
Lyons would like to know where and when the mutation first appeared: There is some evidence, she says, that certain mummified Egyptian cats were orange. Research into cat color has revealed all kinds of phenomena, she says, including how the environment influences gene expression. "Everything you need to know about genetics you can learn from your cat."
Lyons? (Score:5, Funny)
> "It's a long-awaited gene," says Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist
Is this timeline even real?
Does the President-Elect have this gene?
Re:Lyons? (Score:5, Informative)
About 17 genes are thought to control cat coat genetics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org] With this finding, only 4 remain to be identified. Orange was the most important, and I would say the Spotted modifier is next on the list.
Re:Lyons? (Score:5, Interesting)
What I found interesting is when I read that all cats are striped. Something like solid color cats just have very wide stripes that touch each other. In bright enough light, you can still see there are stripes. And spotted cats just have stripes that are truncated. It is interesting how much variety you can get from just modifying certain simple parameters.
I think the most fascinating coloring is that some hairs can have more than one color on each strand. It is called "ticked" or "agouti" and it is not just cats- dogs, rabbits, and mice can have it too.
Re: (Score:2)
Its suprising whats under the fur on pets. I had a bull terrier when I was younger, pure white with a black patch around its eye. When it was around a year old and still kinda haywire in the way puppies are, it managed to grab the kettle chord and pull a kettle full of boiling water on itself ,necessitating an emergency run to the vet for a very burnt doggo in howling pain. They pretty much shaved the whole dog to allow for infection control as the blisters healed , and to my surprise the dog was absolutely
Re: (Score:2)
I had a bull terrier when I was younger, pure white with a black patch around its eye.
We're talking about Spuds McKenzie [wikipedia.org], right? Didn't every young man at the time want to have a cool dog like Spudz for obvious reasons? Is it possible that maybe you just watched too much TV when you were a kid?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
But seriously, I'm just breakin' balls here [youtube.com].
Re: (Score:2)
Yep, I never knew a can't skin had patterns for many years. But I did know/see that the paw pads also had patterns- sometimes brown, sometimes pink, sometimes both, sometimes even mixed on the same pad. Humans seem downright bland.
Re: (Score:2)
That multiple coloring is time based, genes turning on and off in time to create the immediate and overall coloring. I'd personally like to see more research into that mechanism myself. Birds do the same thing. Sort of 3-D printing, where the pieces, hairs and feathers, cool as they are, end up making an emergent pattern overall. Evolutionarily fascinating.
I personally like the calico with the break-off pattern, looks like gray tabby underneath in spots.
Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)
Does the President-Elect have this gene?
Only if he decides to adopt an orange cat.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm just glad Hunter's second amendment rights have been restored. Why are republicans silent on that? They all know their voter base lies on that federal form. Those redneck gun nuts are some of the biggest weed smokers around. As for Hunter not paying taxes, he's just leading by example. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/1... [nytimes.com]
Re: Lyons? (Score:3)
No. Orangutan genes are very different.
Re: (Score:2)
Does the President-Elect have this gene?
Of course not. They are clearly a different species from whatever has been elected. Cats have shown intelligence.
Re: (Score:3)
It reminds me of a joke about pet owners. Ask them what breed their pet is.
Dog owner: "Highland Westie, with 10% doberman."
Cat owner: "Orange."
Leslie Lyons (Score:4, Funny)
Experts are thrilled by the two studies. "It's a long-awaited gene," says Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist at the University of Missouri. The discovery of a new molecular pathway for hair color was unexpected, she says, but she's not surprised how complex the interactions seem to be. "No gene ever stands by itself."
After the press interview, Leslie shook her mane and walked off the stage.
Re: Leslie Lyons (Score:2)
Lionesses tend to not have manes, just like women tend to not have beards.
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Re:oh really (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
"Basic biology research is incredibly valuable in terms of reducing misery, enriching humanity, extending lives, and creating happiness."
Spot on. Now, can we stop with the 100+ year old (by now) social constructive ideologies that completely neglect biology? The ones that claim humans are born identical and any difference is socially constructed therefore can be "fixed" by social engineering? By timeline these are: grandad ideology - communism. Bastard child - fascism. Hybrid grandchild - woke.
Practical ex
Re: (Score:2)
is this where we are directing our tax dollars?
Well, the teams researching this were from Stanford University and Kyushu University, so I'll bet at least one of these studies was financed with zero of your tax dollars. Stanford is a private university so isn't directly funded by tax dollars but does benefit from Federal loans/grants/etc. Just how many of your tax dollars do you think went to this research? Probably none, the people who seem to whine the most about taxes are the same people who pay little or no taxes.
The Brain Cell (Score:5, Funny)
Is this the same gene that causes all of the orange cats to share a single brain cell?
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Re: The Brain Cell (Score:2)
He tried to teach you hunting mice, and sadly failed.
Re: (Score:2)
The orange feral that was around here some years ago was an instructional specialist in rodent anatomy, leaving a succession of dissected specimens on my doormat. All were headless, so brain cells were doubtless harvested for redeployment.
My little furry murderer would always leave the liver of her victims on my front porch - perfectly extracted without damage. I was never sure if they were gifts for me, warnings for me, or she just didn't like the taste of liver.
The Universe (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Yes! This was my immediate thought. Does this explain why orange cats are so dumb but so friendly? No, it does not. That will have to wait.
A certain orange politician (Score:1)
...perked up when they heard to the news. It may simplify their morning routine.
Interesting, I had an orange male (Score:1)
About a year ago, my cat (more precisely the cat of my GF) got 3 babies.
Two female, one male. The male one was orange, we called him Foxy. But after roughly 3 months he slowly turned into a strange grey colour. I am pretty sure one of the neighbours cats - which is a super orange - is male. He is courting my cat when she is in heat, and he is likely her father, too. Because he courted her mother about two years before, too.
Of course it could be a she and she is gay, haha. Never saw them mating, though.
Orange tabbies (Score:3)
Orange tabbies are mostly male. This article makes it sound that they can be only female.
Re: (Score:2)
Orange tabbies are mostly male. This article makes it sound that they can be only female.
Literally the first and second sentence in the article:
"It would be pretty easy to guess that Garfield was a tomcat even if you didn’t know his name—or didn’t want to peek under his tail. Most orange cats are boys, a quirk of feline genetics that also explains why almost all calicos and tortoiseshells are girls."
The big question (Score:2)
Might this lead to a cure in humans? If we can find the gene, can we remove it with CRISPR ?
Or at least avoid passing the gene on?
Unlikely (Score:2)
More likely, we have been over-applying rules-of-thumb in genetics and we are going to now start finding more cases where a deletion mutation ultimately leads to more expression.
My female orange idiot (Score:1)