Basic Genetics Student Judge Seminar Warsaw September 2011

To see a cat Some see a cat!

To see a cat I see: a female cat genetic black color not diluted with white it’s a tortie mackerel tabby shorthair

To see a cat I see: A - non agouti BBblack D -not diluted LLshorthair Mc -mackerel Ssbi-colour x o xtortie

To see a cat A judge see?? Beauty Which breed Pattern and colour Compare with: - breed standard - general part of standard

To see a cat A cat is ”built” of many different elements – a puzzle which can be joint together in many ways. – color – sex – pattern – hair length – etc.

What is the color of the cat about? Back to the basic! Felis Sysvestris Lybica

Original genetics The original model: AA BB CC DD ii LL McMc ss xy ww

Original genetics The original model: agouti black no dilution non silver short hair spotted no white no points no red AA BB CC DD ii LL McMc ss xy ww

Original genetics

Colour and structure! Original genetics Mutations in the development of the cats

Original genetics Two types of colour pigments: Eumelanin:Black pigments Phaomelanin:Yellow to orange pigments

Original genetics Structure of the hair The hair must be filled with the two types of pigments

Original genetics Structure of the hair Phaomelanin (orange) is put into the hair

Original genetics Structure of the hair Then eumelanin (black).

Original genetics Most hairs is of this type (ticked or banded hairs): The pattern is areas of darker ticking on a lighter ticked ground The agouti ground The pattern

Original genetics Nature goes for the average We goes for the extreme

What is the color of the cat about? Production of color pigmentation and the distribution of the pigment granules Some modifying factors

What is the color of the cat about? During the growth the melanin is incorporated in the hair celles.  Type and concentration of the pigment gives the colour Melanocyter transfer melanine to the hair – gives the colour

Hvad handler farven på katten om? Produktion of eumelanin – Different types(black, choc. and cin.) black chocolat cinnamon

What is the color of the cat about? Production of eumelanine – Different types(black, choc and cin.)B / b / b l – Amount of eumelanines NormalA / D / x / B m Overproduction(non agouti /pattern)aa None(red)x o x o / x o y Distribution (dilution)dd Modification(amber)b m b m

What is the color of the cat about? Production of Pheaomelanine The colour or the amount of phaomelanine gives the variation from warm orange to cool yellow?)

What is the color of the cat about? Production Pheaomelanine – Distribution (dilution) dd – None(silver)I - – Modification(rufism)

What is the color of the cat about? Pattern / modification of pattern – original pattern(spottet)Mc - – blotched(blotched)mcmc – ticked(ticked tabby) t b t b – wide band(shaded/tipped)Wb -

What is the color of the cat about? No production of pigment – all white(the white colour)W - – piebald spotting(the white spotting)SS /Ss – gloves(SBI)glgl – white spots(??)

What is the color of the cat about? Reduction of pigmentetion – normalC – burmesec b c b – siamesec s c s – ressecive whitec a c a – albinoc c

What is the color of the cat about? The quality of the colour and pattern Polygenetic modifications

Genes Colour genes (color and pattern) – Each gene controls one feature – Can be dominant, recessive or partly dominant

Genes Polygenes – A lot of ”small” genes work together – They work in different ways – “Qualitymakers” – Modifyers – Treshold characters

Colour genetics I will look at one feature at a time. They can be combined later on.

B alleles – Black/brown colour B > b > b l Decides the shape of the euamelanin granules B = normal shape black b = oval shapecholate b l = rod shape cinnamon

B alleles – Black/brown colour B > b > b l BB / Bb / Bb l Black bb / bb l Chocolate b l b l Cinnamon.

The red colour The red color. The red color is sex linked. The gene is placed on the X chromosome. No eumelanin is prodcued, no matter the type. Black, chocolate and cinnamon colours can not be produced!.

The red colour Only phaeomelanin (the yellow/red color) is produced

The red colour I have chosen to mark this gene for orange/red as a variation of the normal X gene, as the placement of the red allele is at the X chromosome. X the normal coloured cat X o red Ycarry no genes This way I think it is more clear that the color is sex linked and the explanation about the outcome as a result of mating red/tortie cat is more clear. This is my way of seeing it – and not all share my opinion on this matter.

The red colour X o blocks or change the production of eumelanine. Only phaomelanine will be produced. In order to work fully there must be two X o in a female. In the male, who only has one X chromosome, one X o gives a red male

Red mating – colour distribution Male: red Females: normal - tortie - red females: tortie red or tortie red males: normal normal or red red ½ xoxo y xxoxxoxxy xxoxxox xoxo y xoxo x o x o y xxoxxoxxy xoxo y xoxo x o x o y xoxo x o x o y

Red mating – colour distribution Male: Normal Female: normal - tortie - red females: normal normal and tortie tortie male: normal normal and red red ½ xy xxxxy xxxxy xy xoxo x o xx o y xxxxy xy xoxo x o xx o y xoxo x o xx o y

Colour pigmentation The basic colurs BlackBB / Bb / Bb l Black eumelanine Chocolate bb / bb l Chocolate eumelanine Cinnamon b l b l Cinnamon eumelanine Red No eumelanine

Colour pigmentation The basic colurs black chocolate cinnamon red

Colour pigmentation The basic colurs Explanation to why there is no difference between a genetically black, chocolate or cinnamon based red! No eumelanine is produced to give the difference!!!

D allele - dilution DD / Dd controles the destribution of pigment granules in the hair. DD and Dd give an even distribution dd gives uneven deposit the hair appears lighter and the roots gets lighter

D allele - dilution DD / Dd cross section of a normal coloured hair (dense). colour pighment evenly distributed in the hair colour is black, choc., cinnamon

D - allele - dilution dd Diluted hair Colour pigment is placed in groups Light can pass through the hair The hair appears paler Uneven placement of pigment black blue choc. lilac cinnamon fawn red creme

D - allele - dilution dd Even though the pigment granules are distributed in an other way this will have no effect on the eyecolour.

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) [II] & [Ii] cause suppression of the phaomelanine pigment in the individual hairs. That leaves only the eumelanine in the hair. (no warm colors left). [ii] is the normal coloured cat. (non-silver)

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) The I gene works different in agouti and non agouti hairs. I non agouti hairs it leaves lower part of the hair without pigments (looks white) Non agouti and silver = smoke. non-agouti hairsmoke hair.

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) When reducing the pigments the hair structure can be seen and the tabby pattern shows.

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) In agouti cats, the I gene surpresses the phaomelanin (the yellow/red colour) and the ticked hairs wil be the colour af the eumelanine and white without coloured bands. agouti hairsilver agouti hair

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) In agouti cats the I gene inhibits the phaomelanin (the yellow/red color) and the ticked hair will be black and white without coloured bands. non silver OSH n 22silver OSH ns 22

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) Silver and red! The I (silver) allele surpresses the creation of phaomelanine! The x o (red) allele surpresses the creation of eumelanine!

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) Silver and red! No pigment granules are (supposed to be) created!! But some phaomelanine is left in the red/creme silvers.

I allele – Silver (inhibitor) Rufism/tanning? – Unwanted colouring on legs, neck and sides…. – Selection will reduce the problem – Is it connected to the warmth in color??

Tabby patterns All cats have a tabby pattern!! But you cannot always see it!! There are various theories about the genes, which decide the tabby patterns. And there is still a lot to learn!! When it can be seen, it is a a coloured pattern or a darker agouti area on an (lighter) agouti background

Tabby patterns A / aA gen which turn the tabby pattern on and off Mc/mcA gene controls if it is mackerel or blotched T a /t a A gene which causes the ticked tabby pattern – this is partly dominant. Wb/wbA gene which causes an “unpatterned” tabby pattern with the lower part of the hair without eumelanine

A allele – agouti / non agouti AA (Aa) is the original pattern for cats and the tabby pattern can be seen. A causes bands of different colours in the single hairs (eumelanine and phaomeline bands) The hairs will be ticked – provide an agouti base The coloured pattern sits on this agouti base.

A genes – agouti / non agouti aa is the mutation. Causes an overproduction of eumelanine. Fills up the entire hair with the type of eumelanine. Looks like there are only single coloured hairs - but the aguti structure is still there!!

A genes – agouti / non agouti Ticked hair. Bands of eumelanine on the ground colour. of phaeomelanine. Phaomelanine gives ground colour. The warm yellowish coloured bands. Which is the same in all colours.

A genes – agouti / non agouti Non-agouti hair One color The phaomelanine is “overruled”/covered by the overproduction of eumelanine.

aa genes – red A red self?? aa causes an overproduction of eumelanine to “fill” the hairs with the melanine (black, chocolate and cinnamon) x o block the production of melanine Result: The red color “overrules” the non agouti in the red cat. A red is ALWAYS non agouti!!!

Non agouti The tabby pattern is still there (hair structure is the same) – but you can not se it. aa turns it of!

Agouti Agouti in connection with a tabby pattern Different grades of agouti hairs. In the pattern more eumelanine is produced.

Mc genes Mc / mc control the basic tabby pattern The difference in appearance is decided by polygenetic

Mc genes mc mc The spotted/mackerel pattern is changed

T a genes The T a gene covers the ”normal” tabby pattern. Is only partly dominant.

T a genes T a T a T a t a t a t a

T a genes Homozygot ticked tabby A - McMc T a T a

T a genes Heterozygot ticked tabby A - McMc T a t a

W b genes (wide band) t a t a Wb - T a T a T a t a

Shaded / tipped A tabby pattern that covers up all other tabby patterns – expression can vary. Seen in a silver and a golden variant A golden blotched tabby!?? To me a bad shaded with the underlying tabby pattern shining through.

Shaded / tipped We do not know much about genetics. We know: It is an agouti / tabby cat (a tabby pattern) Only shaded/tipped if one of the parents is shaded/tipped Has been closely connected to silver

Shaded / tipped Works only together with AA or Aa. Restrict the creation of eumelanine and creates the lover part of the hair totally without eumelanine In combination with silver (no phaeomelanine produced) creates the chinchilla / silver shaded Without silver (with phaomelanine produced) golden tipped and golden shaded.

Shaded / tipped - silver tipped shaded normal

Shaded / tipped - golden tipped shaded normal

Shaded / tipped This what I think! The wide band gene is an unpatterned tabby gene different from the tick tabby gene (no stripes on the legs) The wide band gene widens the lover part of the hairs to be without phaeomelanine. - and probably several polygenes

Shaded / tipped So may be the genetic is like this: [A - ]to be non agouti [Mc - ]/[mcmc]to have a tabby pattern [T a - ] /[t a t a ]to have or not to have the tick tabby pattern [ Wb - ]to have the ”unpatterned” tabby pattern and to have the lover part of the hair without pigment. + some polygentic factors.

Tabby patterns Original tabby pattern Can vary from mackerel to spottet – but still have the same gene to give the pattern

Tabby patterns Variation (mutation) of the original tabby pattern Gives the blotched pattern

Tabby patterns No tabby pattern / non agouti “Underlying” tabby pattern can be seen as ghost markings. Covers all tabby patterns!

Tabby patterns Tick Tabby – covers the original tabby pattern (spottet/mackerel) and the mutation (blotched) Only partly dominant

Tabby patterns Tipped / shaded (an unpatterned tabby pattern). Covers all the other tabby patterns, develops with age. A blotched golden is a contradiction!

Tabby patterns

Patterns mainly found in wild / domestic hybrids

Black modifier - Amber A recessive gene – Dm for normal colour – dm for amber Do not work with red (epistatic) Cancels the blocks the work of [ a a ]

Black modifier - Amber Modifies/reduces the production of eumelanine or give an overproduction of phaomelanine Do not work with red because there is no euamelanine to modify or reduce. (epistatic to red) The overproduction of eumelanine is blocked/reduced and the tabby pattern is visible (blocks the work of [ a a ])

Black modifier - Amber BB Dd Mc- bmbm Still a small amount of eumelanine left but mainly the phaomelanine shows.

C alleles – albino serie C genes have 5 levels. Cnormal colour c b burmese point c s siamese point (siamese, colour point, sc. birma, ragdoll) c a recessive white (blue-eyed albino) cred-eyed albino

C alleles – albino serie Strength between the 5 different genes are: C > c b > c s > c a > c – C dominates all others – c b onyl partly dominates c s (tonkanese) I will only deal with C or c s.

C alleles – albino serie [c s c s ] causes the pigmentation to be linked to the temperature. The coldest areas will have color. Colour on legs, tail, ears and face. The warmer areas will be lighter. Eyes will be deep blue. A pointed cat is genetically a cat in whatever color, which is lighter in the warmest parts of the cat. At birth all kittens are white (no pigmentation)

White Many different (at least three) genes can cause white W gives the all white cat S gives the white spotted cat Gl gives the gloves on a SBI ?? gives small white spots (lockets) and there are probably more with the same effect.

Embryo – the early fetus Is still just a tube. The task of the cellers is not yet defined

Embryo – the early fetus Is still just a tube. The task of the cellers is not yet defined

Ear Eye Mouth Tail

Normal colours. When the task of the cells is defined. Colour pigmentation “grows” from the spine of the embryo very early (1 – 2 weeks) Nerve cells and skin cells have the same origin. (“hearing”, eye colour, fur colour etc.) Continue till the cat is covered all over. (grows from the back to the stomach)

White Same influence from all the “white” genes – W S Gl og ??. When the pigmentation spread out from 1 – 2 weeks, it will not always reach all the way round the “tube”.

W – dominant white If the cat carries WW or Ww the migration of the pigment cells do not start at all. Only around the head the cells will migrate and reach the ears and the eyes. If they reach the eyes the cat will have green/orange eyes. If not the cat will have one or two blue eyes. If the do not reach the ear the cat will be deaf or partly deaf.

S – white spotted – piebald spotted If the cat carries SS or Ss the migration of the pigment cells will start normally. The cells will run tired and stop at a certain point. If they reach the eyes the cat will have green/orange eyes. If not the cat will have one or two blue eyes. If the do not reach the ear the cat could be deaf or partly deaf but this is extremely rare Odd eye/blue eye only at bi-colours or less white.

Gl – glowes – (SBI) If the cat carries GlGl or Glgl the migration of the pigment cells will start normally. The cells will go almost all the way round the tube. Except the feet and possibly the middle line of the stomach. The gene is dominant but with a threshold character to be reached before it can be seen.

Locket – white spots Possibly a recessive gene – goes in certain lines. Small mistakes early in pregnancy “Environmental” influence – heat, stress, medicine etc.

W – genes – dominant white Dominant white. Surpresses all production of pigment from in the coat. Cover up ALL other colours/paterns! Eyecolour can be blue, orange/green or one of each (odd eyed).

W – genes – dominant white Can cause deafness in white cats. There is no such thing as a ”deafness gene”.

S - genes Piebald spotted S genes are only partly dominant towards s That means that there is a difference between [SS] or [Ss] S gene causes a small or large distribution of white in the normal color.

S - genes Piebald spotted The variation is very big and it is impossible to predict any outcome of the white pattern!!!

S - genes Piebald spotted The amount of white is controlled on the basis of the cell / polygenetic, and it is possible to find cats with the genetic [SS] or [Ss] which have the same amount of white.

S - genes Piebald spotted Grades of white ss Ss SS

Dilute modifier Not recognized in FIFe! Does it actually exist?? Modifies diluted colours (can only be seen when the cat is homozygos [ d d ]) The EMS code is for registration purposes only in imported cats from other organisations.

Dilute modifier 2 x ”caramel” or 1 x lilac?

Dilute modifier 2 x ”caramel” or 1 x lilac? lilac silver ticked