Himalayan Gene And Color Of Himalayan Cats

Himalayan Gene And Color Of Himalayan Cats
Himalayan Gene And Color Of Himalayan Cats

Video: Himalayan Gene And Color Of Himalayan Cats

Video: Himalayan Gene And Color Of Himalayan Cats
Video: 10 Fast Facts About the Himalayan Cats - Fantastic Paws 2024, March
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Himalayan cats - "Himalayan" is the American name for Persian cats with Siamese color. The Himalayans were bred in the 50s in the USA (and independently color-points in England) by crossing Persian cats with Siamese cats, followed by selection for the "Persian" exterior. As a result, long-haired, Persian-type cats were obtained, carrying the gene of "Siamese" color.

Himalayan cat, photo photography
Himalayan cat, photo photography

Himalayan cat GIC. DK WHITE SECRET YOU-SEE (PER N 33)

The scientific name of the gene is Himalayan, as it was first studied on the so-called Himalayan breed of rabbits, which are characterized by a dark color of the protruding parts of the body ("ends") - the muzzle, ears, tail, paws - and the light color of the rest of the body. By the beginning of the 60s, the main associations of cat lovers in the United States recognized Himalayan cats as an independent breed, separate from the Persian. In 1984, due to the complete convergence of the exterior types of Himalayan and Persian cats, the most massive US association - the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) - united the Himalayan breed with the Persian, giving the Himalayans the status of a group, or "sub-breed" (himalayan division): from this time in the pedigrees in the column "breed" is written "Himalayan Persian" (himalayan-persian). The show standard for Himalayans is the same as for other Persian cats (see. Appendix - CFA Standard for Persian cats). In Europe, color points have never been identified as a separate breed.

What is the Himalayan gene and what is the mechanism for the development of such a characteristic "Siamese" color in its carriers?In cats, like in other mammals, the color of the coat, skin, eyes is determined by a polymer pigment called melanin. The exact same pigment is formed when our skin is tanned and gives dark brown or black color to the skin of blacks, as well as dark color to our hair. Melanin is produced in animal cells from the amino acid tyrosine by the enzyme tyrosinase. This enzyme is controlled by a gene, which in cats is designated as Color ("color"), or C for short. If this gene is damaged (mutated), active tyrosinase does not appear in the cells of the animal, therefore, the melanin pigment is not formed, which means that the animal will be "colorless ", I.e. albino. Such a damaged, inactive gene is designated, respectively, as s - or her.

The Himalayan gene, denoted as c s or c h, is also obtained as a result of a change (mutation) of the original gene c, but in this case tyrosinase does not disappear altogether, but becomes thermosensitive: it is active and produces melanin at a low temperature, but is inactive at an increased … Hence the "Siamese" effect occurs: on the protruding parts of the body, where its temperature is lower, pigment is formed, and on the rest of the body - almost none.

Himalayan cat, photo photography
Himalayan cat, photo photography

Himalayan cat GC Uno Belgatto Cream Puff of Cherrybirdie

The color of the coat on prominent areas of the body can vary depending on mutations in other genes. The “wild” type, with the original, unaltered genes for color, is the “brindle” (tabby) color. Accordingly, a cat of this "wild" type carrying the Himalayan gene c s(more precisely, a pair of cs genes - one from the father, the other from the mother), there will be a tabby point, i.e. have a brindle pattern on protruding parts of the body. The banding disappears when the agouti gene (Agouti, abbreviated A) is mutated and converted into an inactive gene of non-agouti (abbreviated a): if the animal carries a pair of a, it becomes solid and simply black. A black cat with a pair of Himalayan genes is a seal-point color, i.e. the coat on the protruding parts of the body is dark brown ("walrus"). Why not black? (Why not black point?) Because the enzyme tyrosinase in the Himalayans, although it works on the protruding parts of the body, is not as active as in non-Himalayans, and the melanin pigment is formed in reduced quantities and not with the degree of polymerization that gives a brown tint.

Persian cat
Persian cat

Related article Persian cat

In animals carrying the Orange (O) gene, a related orange pigment, pheomelanin, is formed instead of true melanin. The hair color is red. The presence of an orange gene and a pair of Himalayan genes leads to a color, which is designated as flame point (aka red point): the protruding parts of the animal are fiery red. In males, the orange gene (O) is always unpaired and determines the red color of all hairs on the steps of the body, being in the singular. However, females have two different situations: animals with a pair of orange genes (OO - one from the father, the other from the mother) have only red hair on protruding parts of the body, and females with one orange gene (Oo) carry the so-called tortoiseshell color (cake point), when areas of red hair are interspersed with areas of walrus color.

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