The C locus: rabbit genetics for full color development, chinchilla, seal, sable, pointed black and red-eyed full white

Headnote

Abstract. The scientific literature is scarce in information of classical genetics on coat color inheritance in rabbit. However, several websites for hobbyists contain very useful and correct information about this issue. Unfortunately, such sources, although very nice structured and well documented, are not always accepted by the editors, reviewers or evaluators as credible references in manuscripts and reseach project proposals. Therefore, a scientific synthesis in a review paper using this atypical scientific information (websites, blogs and electronic guides for hobbyists) is quite necessary prior to any further research of genetic improvement in rabbit. The paper is a review on rabbit genetics for full color, chinchilla, seal, sable, pointed black and red-eyed full white in rabbits.

Key Words: rabbit genetics, Oryctolagus cuniculus, C-family, albino, chinchilla, full color.

Introduction. Classical genetics is very important for animal production at the small scale farming level in subfields such as: poultry, cuniculture, ornamental fish farming, laboratory animal production etc (Mag-Muresan & Pop 2004; Mag & Bud 2006; PetrescuMag 2007; Pricop 2009; Pricop & Pricop 2011; Bud et al 2011; Petrescu-Mag et al 2013).

Coat color development in Oryctolagus cuniculus depends on genes located at several loci on rabbit's chromosomes. These genes act together to produce quite a variety of different colors and patterns. It is already well known that the most important loci involved in color expression in the rabbit are A, B, C, D, E, En, Du, Si, V, and W. There are also other genes acting as color modifiers, controlling the intensity of certain colors or patterns. These modifiers are not single genes, but multiple ones that pool their effects (Cieslak et al 2011).

We can classify the color genes (lato sensu) in two groups. First, the color pattern genes (determining which pattern will be expressed: agouti, tan, or no pattern). All of the other genes are the color genes (sensu stricto). These genes determine the placement and intensity of the color pigments on the hair (DebMark Rabbit Education Resource).

Notation System. There are two classical notation systems available wideworld for the genetics of coat color. The notation system presented above is an English one, definitely different from that used by Botha et al (2011), which is a German system of gene notation. In US, Canada and...