Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
Published on: September 7, 2013
Interaction of MC1R and PMEL alleles on solid coat colors in Highland cattle
Sheila M Schmutz1, Dayna L Dreger
1Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A8, Canada. sheila.schmutz@usask.ca
Abstract:
Six solid colors occur in Highland cattle: black, dun, silver dun and red, yellow, and white. These six coat colors are explained by a non-epistatic interaction of the genotypes at the MC1R and PMEL genes. A three base pair deletion in the PMEL gene leading to the deletion of a leucine from the signal peptide is observed in dilute-colored Highland cattle (c.50_52delTTC, p.Leu18del). The mutant PMEL allele acts in a semi-dominant manner. Dun Galloway cattle also have one copy of the deletion allele, and silver dun Galloway cattle have two copies. The presence of two adjacent leucine residues at the site of this deletion is highly conserved in human, horse, mouse and chicken as well as in cattle with undiluted coat colors. Highland and Galloway cattle thus exhibit a similar dose-dependent dilution effect based on the number of PMEL :c.50_51delTTC alleles, as Charolais cattle with PMEL :c.64G>A alleles. The PMEL :c.64G>A allele was not found in Highland or Galloway cattle.
More Related Videos
07:26High-resolution Melting PCR for Complement Receptor 1 Length Polymorphism Genotyping: An Innovative Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Gene Susceptibility Assessment
Published on: July 18, 2017
07:16Reverse Genetic Approach to Identify Regulators of Pigmentation using Zebrafish
Published on: March 1, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Epistasis
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Epistasis Analysis
Hardy-Weinberg Principle
Incomplete Dominance
Complementation Tests
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...