A Japanese research team led by Kyushu University professor Hiroyuki Sasaki has said it discovered a gene that determines the color patterns of the tricolored calico cat, known in Japan as mike neko.
The team found that the coloring was decided by the ARHGAP36 gene on the X chromosome. The orange coloration reflects a missing portion of this gene, while the black fur color is due to the absence of such a deletion, the team said.
The team's findings were published in the online edition of the U.S. journal Current Biology on Thursday.
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