Black Vs. Orange: Coat Dominance

is black or orange a dominent coat color

The dominant gene for coat colour in cats and dogs is black. In cats, the orange gene is only carried on the X chromosome, and males only need to inherit the orange gene once from their mother to be ginger, which is why 80% of ginger cats are male. In dogs, the two basic pigments that determine coat colour are eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red).

Characteristics Values
Basic colors Orange and Black
Orange gene O
Black gene B
Recessive versions of the black gene b, b'
Dominant dense gene D
Dilute gene d
Dominant dilute modifier gene Dm

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The orange gene is sex-linked

The orange gene in cats is sex-linked, meaning it is carried on the X chromosome. The Y chromosome does not carry any colour genes. For a female cat to be orange, she must inherit the orange gene from both parents on each X chromosome. For a male cat to be orange, he only needs to inherit the gene from his mother. This is why 80% of ginger cats are male.

The orange gene (O) is codominant with the wild-type allele. The orange gene causes the suppression of black-brownish pigmentation (eumelanin) in favour of orange-yellowish coloration (pheomelanin). The resulting orange phenotype is likely caused by the exclusive presence of pheomelanic pigments in the hair shaft.

The orange gene is epistatic and always overrules the solid non-agouti gene. This is why all orange cats are tabbies.

The orange gene can also be found in other species. In Drosophila melanogaster, for example, the white gene on the X chromosome determines whether a fly will have red eyes or white eyes. In turkeys, a Z-linked gene influences feather colour.

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The black gene has recessive versions

The black gene (B) has recessive versions, causing a cat to be chocolate (b) or cinnamon (b'). If these colours are present, it means the cat also carries the dominant dense gene (D). However, there are lighter variations of these colours when another gene is present. The dilute gene (d) is recessive and lightens the colour of a cat's coat. With the dilute gene, black turns to grey or blue, chocolate turns to lilac or lavender, and cinnamon turns to fawn or light lilac.

In addition to the dilute gene, there is also a dilute modifier gene (Dm) which is dominant and makes the dilute colour even lighter. For example, cream becomes apricot, grey/blue becomes blue-based caramel, and lilac/lavender becomes lilac-based caramel/taupe.

The orange colour gene is only carried on the X chromosome, and the gene will tell the cell to "Go orange" or "Go black". Since the colour orange is linked only to the X chromosome, a male cat only needs to inherit the orange gene from its mother to be orange. A female cat, on the other hand, requires an orange gene from both parents to be orange. This is why 80% of ginger cats are male.

The black gene (B) can be masked by the co-dominant gene for the orange colour (O), which is on the X chromosome. The primary gene for coat colour (B) can produce colours such as brown, chocolate, and cinnamon. Typically, the alleles are noted as an uppercase O for orange or a lowercase o for not-orange.

In summary, the black gene has recessive versions that can result in a cat with a chocolate or cinnamon coat colour. The presence of the dilute gene or the dilute modifier gene can further lighten these colours. The orange gene, on the other hand, does not have any recessive versions.

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The orange gene blocks black pigment formation

The orange gene (Locus O) gives cats their red/orange coloration and is found on the X chromosome, making this coloration sex-linked. There are two versions of the gene: the dominant Orange (O) allele and the recessive, wild-type non-orange (o) allele.

The Orange (O) allele blocks black pigment (eumelanin) formation and forces only yellow pigment (pheomelanin) to be formed. The non-orange (o) allele allows both yellow and black pigment to be formed.

Female cats, possessing two X chromosomes, can have orange coloration (O/O), orange and black coloration (o/o), or a mottled mix of orange and black coloration called tortoiseshell (O/o). This is due to a process called "random X-chromosome inactivation" that occurs in female mammals during embryonic development, whereby only one X chromosome is functionally active while the other is condensed and inactive.

Male cats, with only one X chromosome, cannot normally be tortoiseshell; the rare males that are usually have an extra X chromosome (XXY). The dominant O allele of Orange will block the effects of the A allele of Locus A (Agouti) and will thus block the Tabby patterns. This blocking of Tabby is not absolute—it is more pronounced for the body of the animal while Tabby stripes are still evident on the legs, tail, and face of the orange cat.

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The dilute gene lightens colour

The dilute gene, or D locus, is responsible for creating a lighter coat colour in animals. It is a recessive trait, meaning that it will only be expressed if inherited from both parents. The two alleles of the D locus are D (full colour) and d (dilution).

In cats, the dilute gene affects both eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red) fairly equally. The orange gene (O) is just orange (O), but the black gene (B) has recessive versions, causing a cat to be chocolate (b) or cinnamon (b’). The dilute gene modifies these colours as follows:

  • Orange becomes cream/buff
  • Black becomes grey/blue
  • Chocolate becomes lilac/lavender
  • Cinnamon becomes fawn/light lilac

There is also a dilute modifier gene (Dm) which is dominant and makes the dilute colour even lighter. The dilute modifier affects only dilute colours, and when present, creates the following colours:

  • Cream/buff becomes apricot
  • Grey/blue becomes blue-based caramel
  • Lilac/lavender becomes lilac-based caramel/taupe
  • Fawn/light lilac becomes fawn-based caramel

In dogs, the dilute gene causes eumelanin to lighten while phaeomelanin remains almost unchanged. The two pigments create the huge range of dog coat colours. A mutation in the melanophilin (MLPH) gene causes colour dilution in dogs. The two alleles associated with dilution are D (dominant full colour) and d (recessive dilute). It takes two recessive alleles (dd) to lighten black pigment to grey or blue and red pigment to cream.

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The white spotting gene is recessive

The white spotting gene is a recessive trait in cats, meaning that a cat needs to inherit two copies of the gene to express the trait. This is in contrast to dominant traits, where only one copy of the gene is needed for the trait to be expressed.

The white spotting gene causes white patterning in cats, resulting in white spots or patches on the fur. The extent of white spotting can vary, with some cats having only a small amount of white on their fur, while others may be completely white.

The white spotting gene is located on the S locus, and there are two known alleles that can occur at this locus: S, which results in no or very minor white spotting, and Ws, which results in more extensive white spotting. The interaction between these alleles determines the amount of white spotting on a cat's fur. If a cat has the SS genotype, it will have no white spotting. The Sws genotype results in some white spotting, while the WSs genotype will have more extensive white spotting. Cats with the WSWS genotype will be completely white.

It's important to note that the white spotting gene is distinct from albinism, which is caused by a different gene and has no known impact on hearing. However, the white spotting gene can cause varying degrees of hearing impairment, especially in cats with two copies of the gene.

In addition to the white spotting gene, there are other genes that can affect the colour and pattern of a cat's coat, such as the genes for orange, black, and tortoiseshell colouring. These genes interact with each other to produce the wide variety of coat colours and patterns seen in cats.

The inheritance of coat colour and pattern in cats can be complex, and it can be challenging to predict the exact phenotype that will result from a particular genotype. This is because there are often multiple genes and genetic modifiers involved in determining these traits. Additionally, the environment can also play a role, as factors such as temperature can influence the expression of certain coat colours.

In summary, the white spotting gene is a recessive trait in cats, and it interacts with other genes to determine the amount of white spotting on a cat's coat. The specific genotype of a cat will determine the extent of white spotting, ranging from no spotting to complete white fur.

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Frequently asked questions

Black is a dominant gene, so only one parent needs to have the black gene for a cat to be black. The orange gene, on the other hand, is only carried on the X chromosome, so a male cat only needs to inherit the gene from his mother, whereas a female cat needs to inherit it from both parents.

Yes, this colouring is called tortoiseshell or "tortie". Like calico cats, tortoiseshell cats are almost exclusively female. Male tortoiseshells are rare and usually sterile.

No, but the colour of a cat's coat can be masked by a different gene. For example, the white spotting gene can cause a cat to have white patches, and the white spotting gene can be dominant or recessive.

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