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Two SNPs in the SILV gene are associated with silver coat colour in ponies
Author(s) -
Reissmann M.,
Bierwolf J.,
Brockmann G. A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
animal genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2052
pISSN - 0268-9146
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01553.x
Subject(s) - biology , coat , genetics , haplotype , single nucleotide polymorphism , phenotype , white (mutation) , gene , allele , genotype , paleontology
Summary In horses, a pigment dilution acting only on black eumelanin is the so‐called silver coat colour, which is characterized by a chocolate‐to‐reddish body with a white mane and tail. Using information from other species, we focused our study on SILV as a possible candidate gene for the equine silver phenotype. A 1559‐bp genomic fragment was sequenced in 24 horses, and five SNPs were detected. Two of the five SNPs (DQ665301:g.697A>T and DQ665301:g.1457C>T) were genotyped in 112 horses representing eight colour phenotypes. Both mutations were completely associated with the silver phenotype: all eumelanin‐producing horses (blacks and bays) with atypical white mane and tail were carriers of the [g.697T; g.1457T] haplotype. We identified this haplotype as well as the silver phenotype only in Shetland ponies and Icelandic horses. Horses without eumelanin (chestnuts) were carriers of the [g.697T; g.1457T] haplotype, but they showed no phenotypic effect. The white or flaxen mane often detected in chestnuts is presumably based on another SILV mutation or on polymorphisms in other genes.