Scientists have discovered the genetic mutation responsible for a strange cat coat pattern in Finland.
Feral cats in the Scandinavian country started appearing with the mutation in 2007. These cats had a coat similar to a "tuxedo" pattern, but their hair started black and grew whiter towards the tip.
Due to the coat being distinctive and striking, many people adopted these cats and they became household pets.
Scientists called the coat pattern salmiak, after a type of "salty licorice" in Finland, the study reported. The salmiak pattern of white hairs is easiest to see in solid black cats, the study reported, but it can also appear in cats with other fur colors like in brown tabby, tortoiseshell, and blue cats.
Researchers initiated DNA tests to understand more about the genetics of these salmiak-colored cats. Their findings are published in the journal Animal Genetics.
Firstly, they collected blood samples from five such cats with permission from owners, through a biobank at Helsinki University.
They tested four of the cats for known genes affecting fur color. The tests showed that these cats had typical genes for full color and no genes for white fur. Their black or blue fur was due to specific genetic traits.
The researchers sequenced the entire genome of two of the cats. This means they looked at all their DNA to find any unique changes. They found a specific deletion, or missing piece of DNA, near a gene called KIT, which could be responsible for the unique salmiak fur color.
Next, the scientists studied the genetics of 180 Finnish cats, some with salmiak-colored fur and some without. They used specific tools to check if the cats had a particular genetic variant they discovered, named "wsal," linked to the salmiak fur color. They discovered that this variant matched perfectly with the salmiak fur pattern.
Three additional salmiak cats, who hadn't had their whole genome sequenced, also had this variant, the study reported.
In cats without salmiak fur, three carried one copy of the variant without showing the salmiak pattern, while the rest had no copies of the variant. This indicates that two copies of the wsal variant are needed in order for the salmiak fur to manifest.
Scientists found that this variant was not present in other unusual fur patterns from cats in Romania and the U.K. The researchers conclude that they have found the reason for this distinctive coat pattern.
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Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
