The secret of the orange -red hangover: a gene deciphered!

The secret of the orange -red hangover: a gene deciphered!

Stanford, USA - The fascination for orange cats has its origin not only in its striking fur color, but also in the behavior that is often associated with them. A grandmother was quoted, who wants an orange-red hangover, since these animals are often cuddly, playful and cheekily described, similar to the famous comic cat "Garfield".

biologists have long tried to find out which gene is responsible for the orange -red coloring of cats. So far it has been unclear, but now scientists from the Stanford University have identified the decisive gene, called Arhgap36. According to a report by Tagesspiegel so far, the gene has so far been examined primarily in connection with cancer research. The new realization that it is associated with the fur color of cats could offer far -reaching implications for understanding cell communication and pigmentation.

genetic discovery

The latest research published in two independent studies from Japan and the USA confirms the hypothesis of the American genetics Clarence Cook Little from 1912 href = "https://www.newsweek.com/orange-cat-mystery-solved-genetics-pets-animals-two-studies-1396764"> Newsweek reported that the scholars have shown that the gene arhgap36 is responsible for the orange fur color. It is a deletion mutation that influences the activity of the protein during the hair follicle development.

These genetic mechanisms also explain why 95 percent of orange -red cats are male. Kater have an X-chromosome and a Y chromosome, which allows you to inherit only an allel, while female cats have two X chromosomes and can inherit a mixture of colors. Therefore, the famous tortoise cats that are almost always female are created.

A look at the genetics of the cats

The or orange-red fur color is located on the X chromosome, which also plays a role in other fur colors. As explained in the Wikipedia, colors can depend on different gene loci in cats, including black, red and white. The gene for the reddish color is also on the X chromosome, which leads to the different inheritance patterns in male and female cats. Single-colored cats need an allele to mask the tabby pattern, and red-colored cats always have a ghost drawing, which distinguishes them from other single-colored cats.

The mutation in the Arhgap36 gene switches this gene into the pigment cells of cats and influences the production of the dark dye Eumelanin and the red pheomelanin, which causes the characteristic reddish shade. The researchers found that this mutation may have occurred more than 900 years ago when orange cats can already be found in paintings from the 12th century.

Although orange cats often occur in pop culture, they remain one of the rarer fur colors in the cat world. The latest discoveries not only open up new perspectives on the development of the fur color, but also raise questions about the spread of this genetic variation, which is connected to orange cats worldwide. Future research could clarify how people have contributed to the spread of orange -red and three -colored tortoise cats.