Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 20, 2026

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
Published on: January 4, 2017
The agouti suppressor (As) coat color mutation in mice: developmental effects on the expression of agouti locus
Abstract:
The alleles at the agouti locus in the mouse determine whether eumelanin or pheomelanin is synthesized by the follicular melanocytes. The agouti suppressor (As) mutation, which is closely linked to the agouti locus, reduces the amount of pheomelanin produced by whatever agouti alleles are present in the animal's genome. Previous developmental studies have indicated that the agouti alleles exert their influence on the follicular melanocytes via interactions between the developing dermis and epidermis. Using the techniques of dermal-epidermal recombination of embryonic agouti suppressor (AsAw/AsAw), white-bellied agouti (Aw/Aw), yellow (Ay/a), viable yellow (Avy/Avy), black and tan (at/at), and nonagouti (a/a) mouse skin, the present study demonstrates that 1) the dermis is responsible for the development of regional pigmentation patterns in white-bellied agouti mice, and 2) the agouti suppressor mutation interferes with the expression of the white-bellied agouti allele by acting on the dermis as well as the epidermis. In addition, this study provides further evidence for the role of the epidermis in the expression of the agouti locus alleles.
Related Concept Videos
Epistasis
In-vitro Mutagenesis (Gene Knockouts)
X-Inactivation
Lethal Alleles
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...
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

