We know what causes tabby in cats
February 3, 2023Scientists used gene expression analysis on domestic cat fetal skin to determine when and how patterns develop.
Previous studies showed that a protein called Endothelin 3 is expressed in tabby markings at the base of hair follicles. This causes the hairs to darken producing the tabby pattern. However tabby markings have been noticed in developing hair follicles meaning the patterns must be established either at or before the hair follicles develop.
Signalling molecules act like messengers transmitting information between cells. One of these molecules, Dkk4, was found to play a key role in the development of tabby patterns. This produces a pattern of thick and thin skin at the embryo stage which later defines the patterns that develop on the cat. Thick patches created darker fur whilst thin patches created lighter fur. The scientists investigated whether this pattern was caused by a molecular pre-pattern in play prior to embryo’s development. This was confirmed, patterns may be determined before the embryo even develops hair follicles.
DKK4 also interacts with other genes to create different fur patterns such as those seen in Abyssinian and Burmese cats. Not much is known about this interaction at this time but it leads the way for further research. The scientists themselves state that the coats they looked at “represent a fraction of the pattern diversity that exists among domestic cat breeds”.
We also don’t know quite how it works:
“This is one of the big unanswered questions in our work — how to connect the process of prepattern formation to the process that implements the pattern later in development,” he said. “That’s something that we’re actively trying to figure out.”
– Barsh (2021)
This is however a complex area of genetics involving multiple different genes and this is a huge development in understanding what causes coat patterns in cats. We look forward to seeing the further research this team puts forward.
References
Kaelin, C.B., McGowan, K.A. & Barsh, G.S. Developmental genetics of color pattern establishment in cats. Nat Commun 12, 5127 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25348-2
