After 60 years of mystery, scientists decode the orange fur of cats (Photo: Kelsey James/Unsplash)
Orange cats are very popular for their clumsy personalities. But do you know where the orange color of their fur comes from?
After 60 years of mystery, two independent teams have finally found an answer, and it all started with understanding why your orange cat is most likely a male.
Researchers Greg Barsh from Stanford University and Hiroyuki Sasaki from Kyushu University discovered a remarkable genetic mutation that influences the cat’s fur color. Their findings were published in bioRxiv.
While examining skin samples from cat fetuses, they found that a gene called Arhgap36 (located on the X chromosome) plays a crucial role in producing orange fur.
The researchers noted that orange cats produced 13 times more RNA from the Arhgap36 gene compared to non-orange cats.
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Surprisingly, this wasn’t due to a mutation in the gene itself, but because of a small deletion in a nearby DNA segment that regulates the gene’s activity.
The researchers examined 188 cat genomes and found that all orange cats shared this exact genetic mutation.
Furthermore, in female cats, this gene follows a process called X-inactivation, where cells randomly decide which X chromosome to express. This results in the impressive “patchwork” of colors seen in calico and tortoiseshell cats.
“No gene ever works alone,” explained Leslie Lyons, a feline geneticist at the University of Missouri, to the website Study Finds, highlighting the complex interactions within genetic systems.
According to her, what’s most fascinating may be that this research reveals more than just a fun fact about cat colors. “Everything you need to know about genetics you can learn from your cat,” suggested the expert.
Photo and video: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
