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Phenotype: Dogs with the Dominant Black variant display solid coat coloration in fully pigmented areas or, in some cases, display a brindle pattern.
Mode of Inheritance: Autosomal dominant
Alleles: N = No Dominant Black, K = Dominant Black
Breeds appropriate for testing: Many breeds
Explanation of Results:
- Dogs with N/N genotype are expected to be able to express the Agouti gene. They may display black pigment in their coats, but they can also exhibit a variety of other colors and markings including those produced by hairs with alternating bands of color (Agouti). They cannot transmit this dominant black variant to any of their offspring.
- Dogs with N/K genotype are expected to be unable to express the Agouti gene or exhibit reduced Agouti expression. Dogs with this genotype are sometimes brindle. If not brindle, they are expected to display solid eumelanin pigmentation (no pigment banding in the hair shaft) in colored areas on the body. Overall appearance is also determined by genotype at MC1R (E Locus), Brown (B Locus), merle, and other loci. N/K genotype dogs will transmit this dominant black variant to 50% of their offspring.
- Dogs with K/K genotype are expected to be unable to express the Agouti gene, leading to solid eumelanin pigmentation (no pigment banding in the hair shaft) in colored areas on the dog's body. Their overall appearance is also determined by genotype at MC1R (E Locus), Brown (B Locus), merle, and other genes. These K/K dogs will transmit this dominant black variant to all of their offspring.
Results of this test can be submitted to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
Dog Coat Color - Basic Panel (All breeds)
$100 per animal
Additional coat colors $15 per test
Dog Coat Color - French Bulldog Panel
$105 per animal
Additional coat colors $15 per test
Dog Coat Color - Bulldog Panel
$80 per animal
Additional coat colors $15 per test
Dog Coat Color - Great Dane Panel
$80 per animal
Additional coat colors $15 per test
Dog Coat Color and Type - Havanese Panel
$115 per animal
Additional coat colors $15 per test
The wide variety of coat colors in mammals is achieved by the production of two pigments, eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red or yellow). In most mammals, the switching between these two pigments is controlled by MC1R and Agouti genes. In dogs, original coat color research of pedigrees suggested that a third gene, named Dominant Black (K locus), was involved. This gene produces dominant black vs. brindle vs. fawn colors in breeds such as Great Danes, Pugs, and Greyhounds, among others. Researchers recently have discovered that dominant black is due to a mutation in a Beta-defensin gene (CBD103).
Testing for Dominant Black can assist owners of black dogs to determine if their dogs are homozygous for dominant black or if they carry brindle or fawn.
Species
Breed
Test Result | Dominant Black |
---|---|
K/K | 2 copies of dominant black are present. |
K/N | 1 copy of dominant black is present.* |
N/N | Dog does not have the dominant black mutation. |
* This result is sometimes associated with the brindle pattern.
Candille, S.I., Kaelin, C.B., Cattanach, B.M., Yu, B., Thompson, D.A., Nix, M.A., Kerns, J.A., Schmutz, S.M., Millhauser, G.L., & Barsh, G.S. (2007). A beta-defensin mutation causes black coat color in domestic dogs. Science, 318(5855), 1418-1423. doi: 10.1126/science.1147880