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Journal of applied genetics2016; 57(4); 519-525; doi: 10.1007/s13353-016-0352-7

Distribution of coat-color-associated alleles in the domestic horse population and Przewalski’s horse.

Abstract: Considering the hidden mode of inheritance of some coat-color-associated alleles, we investigated the presence/absence of coat-color-associated alleles in 1093 domestic horses of 55 breeds and 20 specimens of Przewalski's horse. For coat-color genotyping, allele specific PCR, pyrosequencing and Li-Cor analyses were conducted on 12 coat-color-associated alleles of five genes. Our data provide deep insight into the distribution of coat-color-associated alleles within breeds. We found that the alleles for the basic colorations (bay, black, and chestnut) are widely distributed and occur in nearly all breeds. Alleles leading to dilutions or patterns are rare in domestic breeds and were not found in Przewalski's horse. Higher frequencies of these alleles are only found in breeds that are selected for their expressed phenotypes (e.g., Kinsky horse, Lewitzer, Tinker). Nevertheless, our study produced strong evidence that molecular testing of the coat color is necessary for well-defined phenotyping to avoid unexpected colorations of offspring that can result in legal action.
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Publication Date: 2016-05-18 PubMed ID: 27194311DOI: 10.1007/s13353-016-0352-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the distribution of different genes associated with coat color in domestic horses and Przewalski’s horses. The researchers used advanced genetic testing methods on 1093 domestic horses and 20 Przewalski’s horses, providing a comprehensive view of the common and rare coat color patterns among these species.

Research Methods

  • The research involved 1093 domestic horses from 55 different breeds and 20 specimens of Przewalski’s horse, the only truly wild horse species left in the world.
  • Advanced genetic testing techniques were used to identify 12 coat-color-associated alleles in five different genes. These techniques included allele-specific PCR, a test that amplifies and identifies specific gene sequences, pyrosequencing, a method for identifying precise genetic sequences, and Li-Cor analyses, another genetic testing method.

Findings

  • The researchers discovered that alleles, variations of a gene, associated with basic colors like bay, black and chestnut are widespread across all breeds.
  • Contrastingly, alleles that result in different shades or patterns are infrequent in domestic horse breeds and non-existent in Przewalski’s horse.
  • However, particular horse breeds that have been genetically selected for their distinctive coat colorations, such as the Kinsky horse, Lewitzer and Tinker, exhibited higher frequencies of these unusual color-associated alleles.

Significance of the Study

  • The study provides new insights into the genetic basis of coat color in horses and underscores the wide distribution of basic color alleles across all breeds.
  • More importantly, it establishes the necessity of molecular testing for a well-defined phenotyping of horses’ coat color. This is crucial, as surprising colorations in offspring may lead to legal issues, presumably in cases of valuable breed horses where a specific color might be expected or guaranteed.

Cite This Article

APA
Reissmann M, Musa L, Zakizadeh S, Ludwig A. (2016). Distribution of coat-color-associated alleles in the domestic horse population and Przewalski’s horse. J Appl Genet, 57(4), 519-525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13353-016-0352-7

Publication

Journal of applied genetics
ISSN: 2190-3883
NlmUniqueID: 9514582
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 57
Issue: 4
Pages: 519-525

Researcher Affiliations

Reissmann, Monika
  • Albrecht Daniel Thaer Institute, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Musa, Lutfi
  • Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Zakizadeh, Sonia
  • Department of Animal Science, Jihad-Agricultural Higher Educational Complex, Mashad, Iran.
Ludwig, Arne
  • Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany. ludwig@izw-berlin.de.

MeSH Terms

  • Alleles
  • Animals
  • Breeding
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • Hair
  • Horses / classification
  • Horses / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Pigmentation / genetics

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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