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Coat color inheritance in American mink
Persia Carol Thapa1, Duy Ngoc Do1, Ghader Manafiazar1
1Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada.
BMC Genomics
|May 3, 2023
Summary
Coat color inheritance in American mink (Neogale vison) is complex, with genes for Dark, Pastel, Demi, and Mahogany colors found to be heterozygous. This study analyzed over 23,000 mink pedigrees to understand these genetic patterns.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Animal Breeding
- Mammalian Genetics
Background:
- Coat color genetics in American mink (Neogale vison) are crucial for the fur industry.
- Previous in-depth pedigree analyses for mink color inheritance have been lacking for decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the inheritance patterns of four distinct coat colors in American mink.
- To analyze a large-scale pedigree dataset to understand the genetic basis of mink coloration.
Main Methods:
- Pedigree data from 23,282 American mink (Neogale vison) across 16 generations were analyzed.
- Mendelian ratios and Chi-square tests were employed to study the inheritance of Dark, Pastel, Demi, and Mahogany colors.
- Data were collected from animals at the Canadian Center for Fur Animal Research (CCFAR) between 2003 and 2021.
Main Results:
- Mendelian inheritance ratios of 1:1 and 3:1 suggest heterozygous allelic pairs control the studied coat colors.
- Offspring predominantly exhibited the same color as their parents when both sire and dam shared the same color.
- Analysis confirmed heterozygous genes for all four investigated mink coat colors.
Conclusions:
- Coat color inheritance in American mink is complex and exhibits significant diversity.
- The identified heterozygous genes contribute to the varied coat color expressions observed in the species.
- Findings provide insights into the genetic mechanisms of coat color in American mink, relevant for breeding and industry.
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