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Agouti is linked to the wideband gene, with about a 30% crossover rate. [33] Like white bellied agouti mice, rabbits with wildtype agouti produce transcripts with different untranslated 5' ends that have different dorsal and ventral expression. The 1A exon is only expressed in the belly region and may be responsible for the lighter color there. [3]
Agouti-signaling protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ASIP gene. [5] [6] It is responsible for the distribution of melanin pigment in mammals.[7] [8] Agouti interacts with the melanocortin 1 receptor to determine whether the melanocyte (pigment cell) produces phaeomelanin (a red to yellow pigment), or eumelanin (a brown to black pigment). [9]
Agouti Mice These mice are genetically identical despite looking phenotypically different. The mouse on the left's mother was fed Bisphenol A (BPA) with a normal mouse diet and the mouse on the right's mother was fed BPA with a methyl-rich diet. The left mouse is yellow and obese, while the right mouse is brown and healthy.
Recently, Hoekstra has found evidence linking the mutation the Agouti gene to survival in mice. [16] More specifically, the study showed how a sequence variant in the Agouti gene changes the phenotype and then linked those changes to changes in population allele frequency, demonstrating evolution of trait by natural selection. [17]
In a mice model, the mice fed on a BPA diet were more likely to have a yellow coat corresponding to their lower methylation state in the promoter regions of the retrotransposon upstream of the Agouti gene. The Agouti gene is responsible for determining whether an animal's coat will be banded (agouti) or solid (non-agouti).
A cat hair showing agouti coloration A domestic rabbit with agouti coloration. Agouti is a type of fur coloration in which each hair displays two or more bands of pigmentation. [1] [2] The overall appearance of agouti fur is usually gray or dull brown, [3] although dull yellow is also possible.
The agouti (/ ə ˈ ɡ uː t iː / ⓘ, ə-GOO-tee) or common agouti is many of several rodent species of the genus Dasyprocta. They are native to Central America , northern and central South America , and the southern Lesser Antilles .
The female black agouti is capable of breeding year-round. Also, they are considered to be seasonally polyestrous, meaning the females can go through more than one period of estrus in a single year. [3] One estrus period can last for 24 hours while the estrous cycle can last between 30 and 34 days. [3]