Copyright 2004 Great Dane Club of Pennsylvania, Inc.
[affiliated with The Great Dane Club of America , Inc.]
COAT COLOR RESEARCH
(Copied from the GDCA Website)
(Copied from the GDCA Website)
For the past two years the GDCA has participated in the genetic-level search for answers to what molecular and genetic processes make for specific coat color pigmentations and patterns. This work is headed by Dr. Sheila Schmutz of the University of Saskatchewan and currently involves the collaboration of Dr. Greg Barsh of Stanford. Dr. Schmutz currently has a grant awarded by the AKC-CHF to study blue dilution. Research to date for spotting genes such as tuxedo (Mantle), piebald, merle & Harlequin, has eliminated the following gene candidates: KITLG, MITF, EDNRB, PAX3 for merle, EDNRB for Harlequin, EDNRB and KIT for tuxedo (our "Mantle" pattern), and KIT for piebald. Elimination of candidate genes is not the ideal outcome, but does provide real data and aids in further research. Sable (our Fawn), brindle, black, as well as brown, yellow, masking, and extension are being mapped and the last four already offer commercially available testing. Brindle and fawn are likely to be the next two color genes to have commercially available tests. This will prove of practical use in our breed for breeders of black and blue Danes particularly.
Currently this is a pilot program for sorting the basic colors and patterns in the Great Dane at the molecular level that could lead to being able to have gene tests in the Great Dane for all assorted colors and patterns they carry. A series to confirm masking in the breed has been completed and a test for masking is now available through the company Health Gene (http://www.healthgene.com/color/greatdane.asp). The entirety of the E Locus (where masking is) has been mapped by Dr. Schmutz. Brindle was NOT found to be at this locus. Agouti studies are now underway, as is a preliminary test for early graying. There is recent research on black and brindle that is breaking new ground; details will soon be available. Blue dilution is currently under investigation. Several genes have been tried and discarded for merle, Harlequin and Mantle, and research in that area is continuing. This is a GDCA approved research program supported by the H&W Committee. Thanks goes out to all those individuals with Great Danes who have participated so far by donating DNA from their litters/dogs to these projects.
For details of coat color genes and their affects on phenotype (i.e. coat colors), there are several online articles to read. A grouping of these articles are presented here: Great Dane Specific Coat Color Genetics: http://www.chromadane.com/chlinx.htm
This article offers an overview of the topic: Standard Coat Color Genetics in Dogs: http://www.chromadane.com/standardcoat.htm
Or visit Dr. Schmutz' website (listed below).
We also need fawn bred to black, as well as fawn bred to brindle and even BLACK bred to brindle. For these litters please request materials from Stanford University. POC is Sophie Candille: scand@stanford.edu . All needed materials will be provided by Stanford staff.
General request for litters:
1. No less than 4 pups and 8 or more per litter is desirable.
2. All living pups and both parents should be available.
3. Photos of all dogs need to be made available.
4. Cheek sample, coat color and call names provided.
For Dr. Schmutz' work, we are still looking for DNA to continue work on spotting genes in the Great Dane: HARLEQUIN bred to MERLE litters needed (5-14-04).
Litters still needed in which one parent is Harlequin & the other a merle, and where there are both Harlequin and merle puppies in the litter. Minimal litter size 6 with at least 2 of each color please. Photos of parents and pups required (jpegs are fine). Further I have this note from Dr. Schmutz to share: "The DNA study of "blue" is now underway at the University of Saskatchewan. Sheila Schmutz would like to thank the breeders and dog owners who contributed DNA brushes for this study. Great Danes feature prominently in the study [and yet] other breeds such as Afghans, Poodles and Newfoundlands are also included. We hope to determine if the same gene causes blue/grey in all these breeds, although our [current] hypothesis is that different genes are involved."
If you have any questions &/or would like to participate just email or call me or write Dr. Schmutz directly. Contact information follows.
Sheila M. Schmutz, Ph.D.
Professor,
Department of Animal and Poultry Science
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5AB
http://skyway.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogcolors.html
Project Liaison:
JP Yousha, Chair, H&W Committee, GDCA
jpy@chromadane.com
432-684-8940
A GDCA approved project. Currently AKC-CHF funded.
Please contact the liaison if wishing to participate.
Thank you. JP Yousha
Currently this is a pilot program for sorting the basic colors and patterns in the Great Dane at the molecular level that could lead to being able to have gene tests in the Great Dane for all assorted colors and patterns they carry. A series to confirm masking in the breed has been completed and a test for masking is now available through the company Health Gene (http://www.healthgene.com/color/greatdane.asp). The entirety of the E Locus (where masking is) has been mapped by Dr. Schmutz. Brindle was NOT found to be at this locus. Agouti studies are now underway, as is a preliminary test for early graying. There is recent research on black and brindle that is breaking new ground; details will soon be available. Blue dilution is currently under investigation. Several genes have been tried and discarded for merle, Harlequin and Mantle, and research in that area is continuing. This is a GDCA approved research program supported by the H&W Committee. Thanks goes out to all those individuals with Great Danes who have participated so far by donating DNA from their litters/dogs to these projects.
For details of coat color genes and their affects on phenotype (i.e. coat colors), there are several online articles to read. A grouping of these articles are presented here: Great Dane Specific Coat Color Genetics: http://www.chromadane.com/chlinx.htm
This article offers an overview of the topic: Standard Coat Color Genetics in Dogs: http://www.chromadane.com/standardcoat.htm
Or visit Dr. Schmutz' website (listed below).
We also need fawn bred to black, as well as fawn bred to brindle and even BLACK bred to brindle. For these litters please request materials from Stanford University. POC is Sophie Candille: scand@stanford.edu . All needed materials will be provided by Stanford staff.
General request for litters:
1. No less than 4 pups and 8 or more per litter is desirable.
2. All living pups and both parents should be available.
3. Photos of all dogs need to be made available.
4. Cheek sample, coat color and call names provided.
For Dr. Schmutz' work, we are still looking for DNA to continue work on spotting genes in the Great Dane: HARLEQUIN bred to MERLE litters needed (5-14-04).
Litters still needed in which one parent is Harlequin & the other a merle, and where there are both Harlequin and merle puppies in the litter. Minimal litter size 6 with at least 2 of each color please. Photos of parents and pups required (jpegs are fine). Further I have this note from Dr. Schmutz to share: "The DNA study of "blue" is now underway at the University of Saskatchewan. Sheila Schmutz would like to thank the breeders and dog owners who contributed DNA brushes for this study. Great Danes feature prominently in the study [and yet] other breeds such as Afghans, Poodles and Newfoundlands are also included. We hope to determine if the same gene causes blue/grey in all these breeds, although our [current] hypothesis is that different genes are involved."
If you have any questions &/or would like to participate just email or call me or write Dr. Schmutz directly. Contact information follows.
Sheila M. Schmutz, Ph.D.
Professor,
Department of Animal and Poultry Science
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5AB
http://skyway.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogcolors.html
Project Liaison:
JP Yousha, Chair, H&W Committee, GDCA
jpy@chromadane.com
432-684-8940
A GDCA approved project. Currently AKC-CHF funded.
Please contact the liaison if wishing to participate.
Thank you. JP Yousha
Permission to reprint as submitted for educational purposes is given.
Submitted by JP Yousha, Chair, H&W Committee, GDCA 2004.
Submitted by JP Yousha, Chair, H&W Committee, GDCA 2004.