Eurocatfancy

Gene D: Diluted

Genetic terms in cats
Genome of the cat
Dominance of genes
Cat Breeding techniques
Crossing Table 1
Crossing Table 2
Crossing Table 3
Gene A: Agouti
Gene B: Black
Gene C: Full colour
Gene D: Diluted
Gene Dm: Dilute modifier
Gene Fd: Folded ears
Gene I: Inhibitor
Gene L: Shorthair
Gene Mc: Mackerel
Gene O: Orange
Gene S: Piebald spotting
Gene W: White
Gene XY: Sex
Quality Points for Cats

Gene D: Dense colour

Gene D, d

DENSE gene D

Gene D is responsible that the coat colour will appear "dark", i.e. non-diluted.
It is dominant over its companion d. Therefore gene D must be present only once (Dd) to see its expression, that the coat colour appears as non-diluted.

DILUTED gene d

Gene d (=dilution) is recessive, that means it must be present twice (dd) that the coat colour gets diluted.

"dark" colour	diluted colour
black	blue
chocolate	lilac
cinnamon	fawn
red	cream

Possible gene combinations

DD	homozygous dark coloured	Note: Non-diluted cats can be homozygous - will never pass dilution to their kitten - or heterozygous - carry dilution and can pass dilution to their kitten.
Dd	heterozygous dark coloured carries dilution
dd	homozygous diluted coloured	Note: Diluted cats are always homozygous for dilution - always pass dilution to their kitten.

You remember our lesson, where we discussed gene B (Black) ?

Now - only with two genes - we know already the genetic fingerprints of various colours.

Coat colours where gene B and D are involved

non diluted colour	gene combination		diluted coat colour	gene combination
black	BB DD	BB Dd	blue	BB dd
	Bb DD	Bb Dd		Bb dd
	Bb^l DD	Bb^l Dd		Bb^l dd
chocolate	bb DD	bb Dd	lilac	bb dd
chocolate	bb^l DD	bb^l Dd	lilac	bb^l dd
cinnamon	b^lb^l DD	b^lb^l Dd	fawn	b^lb^l dd

How can this theoretical knowledge be used for the breeding practice ?

When you look at our table above you see, black or blue cats are full of surprises, they might carry various genetic information which you don't see from outside. You can find out the genetic background of your black cat only by test mating.
With cinnamon and fawn cats it is quite easier, they can inherit only one colour either cinnamon or fawn. From cinnamon cats you can get only cinnamon or fawn (if they carry dilution).

You have a black female and want to find out what she carries.

Example 1: We breed Orientals

Note: In Orientals you can have all colours: black/blue, chocolate/lilac and cinnamon/fawn. The best way is to use a fawn male. It carries double dilution (dd) and carries the cinnamon gene double (b^lb^l).
Our female can have various gene combinations - as you have seen in the table above:
BB DD, BB Dd, Bb DD, Bb Dd, Bb^l DD, Bb^l Dd
Let's start to build up our tables !

female's gene combination: BB DD		male
female's gene combination: BB DD		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd all kitten are black

That is the worst case, all kitten are black.
We only know all carry cinnamon and dilution, but about our female we still don't know more.

female's gene combination: BB Dd		male
female's gene combination: BB Dd		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd black, carry cinnamon and dilution
female	Bd	Bb^l dd blue, homozygous for dilution and carry cinnamon

That is already better, in the blue kitten we see that our female carries dilution, even she is black.

female's gene combination: Bb DD		male
female's gene combination: Bb DD		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd black, carry cinnamon and dilution
female	bD	bb^l Dd chocolate, heterozygous, carry cinnamon and dilution

In the chocolate kitten we see that our female carries chocolate, even she is black.

female's gene combination: Bb Dd		male
female's gene combination: Bb Dd		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd black, carry cinnamon and dilution
	Bd	Bb^l dd blue, homozygous for dilution and carry cinnamon
	bD	bb^l Dd chocolate, carry cinnamon and dilution
	bd	bb^l dd lilac, homozygous for dilution and carry cinnamon

If we are lucky and get a lilac kitten we know that our female carries chocolate and dilution. But even if we get only blue and chocolate kitten we know the same.

female's gene combination: Bb^l DD		male
female's gene combination: Bb^l DD		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd black, carry cinnamon and dilution
female	b^lD	b^lb^l Dd cinnamon, homozygous for cinnamon and carry dilution

If we get a cinnamon kitten we know that our female carries cinnamon. But we still don't know if our female carries dilution. We do know that all the kitten must carry dilution at least from their father.

female's gene combination: Bb^l dd		male
female's gene combination: Bb^l dd		b^ld
female	BD	Bb^l Dd black, carry cinnamon and dilution
	Bd	Bb^l dd blue, homozygous for dilution and carry cinnamon
	b^lD	b^lb^l Dd cinnamon, carry dilution
	b^ld	b^lb^l dd fawn, homozygous for cinnamon and dilution

If we get a fawn kitten we know that our female carries cinnamon and dilution. But even if we get only blue and cinnamon kitten we know the same.

Example 2: We breed Persians

Note: In Persians you can have the colours: black/blue, chocolate/lilac. Normally the colours cinnamon/fawn don't exist in Persians.
The best way to find out what our black female might carry is to use a lilac male. It carries double dilution (dd) and carries the chocolate gene double (bb).
Our female can have various gene combinations - as you have seen in the table above:
BB DD, BB Dd, Bb DD, Bb Dd
Let's start to build up our tables !

female's gene combination: BB DD		male
female's gene combination: BB DD		bd
female	BD	Bb Dd all kitten are black

That is the worst case, all kitten are black.
We only know all carry now chocolate and dilution, but about our female we still don't know more.

female's gene combination: BB Dd		male
female's gene combination: BB Dd		bd
female	BD	Bb Dd black, carry chocolate and dilution
female	Bd	Bb dd blue, homozygous for dilution and carry chocolate

That's already better, in the blue kitten we see that our female carries dilution, even she is black. Note that all kitten will carry chocolate, too - it comes from their father.

female's gene combination: Bb DD		male
female's gene combination: Bb DD		bd
female	BD	Bb Dd black, carry chocolate and dilution
female	bD	bb Dd chocolate, homozygous for chocolate and carry dilution

In the chocolate kitten we see that our female carries chocolate, even she is black. Note that all kitten carry dilution - it comes from their father.

female's gene combination: Bb Dd		male
female's gene combination: Bb Dd		bd
female	BD	Bb Dd black, carry chocolate and dilution
	Bd	Bb dd blue, homozygous for dilution and carry chocolate
	bD	bb Dd chocolate, carry dilution
	bd	bb dd lilac, homozygous for dilution and chocolate

If we are lucky and get a lilac kitten we know that our female carries chocolate and dilution. But even if we get only blue and chocolate kitten we know the same.

[A] [B] [C] [cb & cs] [D] [Dm] [Fd] [I] [L] [Mc] [O] [S] [W] [XY]

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