Color: yellow, red, lemon, cream
Samples Accepted: Blood, Buccal Swabs
Locus Information: E locus: e
The E locus has multiple alleles. The wildtype, E, results in a black animal, while Em codes for a melanistic (dark) mask, and Eg codes for grizzle (only in Salukis and Afghan hounds). The lightest color is coded for by the e allele, which this test detects.
Test Information: This mutation test identifies only the e allele of the E-locus: a single base change in the MC1R gene that is associated with a light color that may be called yellow, red, lemon, or cream, depending upon the breed. This is a recessive trait – a dog must have two copies (e/e) to show the color.
Everts, R.E., Rothuizen, J., van, Oost, B.A.: Identification of a premature stop codon in the melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor gene (MC1R) in Labrador and Golden retrievers with yellow coat colour. Animal Genetics 31:194-199, 2000. Pubmed reference: 10895310
Newton, J.M., Wilkie, A.L., He, L., Jordan, S.A., Metallinos, D.L., Holmes, N.G., Jackson, I.J., Barsh, G.S.: Melanocortin 1 receptor variation in the domestic dog Mammalian Genome 11:24-30, 2000. Pubmed reference: 10602988.
Further information is available at the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals website.