Part 1: Mosaic gene inheritance

Some basics…
• In the nucleus of each cell, humans
have 23 pairs of chromosomes – a
total of 46
• Offspring will randomly inherit half
of each chromosome from their
mother, and half from their father
Human Father • For each observable trait, an
organism inherits 2 alleles (2
variations that make up a gene)
 50% of genes come from the
mother, and 50% come from the
father

Understanding
Gene Inheritance
 Dominant: Only one allele is needed to show observable trait (phenotype)
Recessive: Two alleles are needed to show observable trait (phenotype)

Homozygous: Remember:
b Two of the same One half comes
B from each parent
alleles inherited

Heterozygous:
Two different
alleles inherited 2 alleles = 1 Mom’s Dad’s
gene half half

Chromosome
Genotype Phenotype
The genetic makeup Physical, observable expression of genotype
(color/pattern in our case)

mm In theory… Non-mosaic
Same phenotype,
Mm different genotype! Mosaic

MM Mosaic

DOMINANT GENES
 Mosaic (Mm) – a dominant gene
(Based on empirical evidence)

Mosaic Father
Non-mosaic Mother

M = Abnormal
gene (Mosaic Mosaic Non-mo
Mosaic
Non-mo
m = Normal
gene
Mosaic Non-mo

If joeys do not inherit the mosaic phenotype, then they do not

have the mosaic gene and can not pass it on to future progeny
In theory, inheritance of
the mosaic gene should
work in a similar way to
earlobes in humans.

Those that inherit two

copies of the dominant
gene – EE – will have
children with unattached
earlobes 100% of the
time, even if the other
parent does not have the
dominant gene.
 75% of gliders produced by a mosaic x mosaic
In theory… pairing should be mosaic, with 1 in 3 of those
mosaics being a “super mosaic” (will always
produce mos, even when paired with a non-mo)

Mosaic Father “Super Mosaic “Father

Non-mosaic Mother
Mosaic Mother

Mosaic Mosaic Mosaic Mosaic Mosaic

Mosaic
Non-mo

Mosaic Non-mo “Super Mosaic Mosaic

mosaic”
And yet based on breeder observation, it is not
possible to breed a “super mosaic”…

Could inheriting two copies of the

mosaic gene result in homozygous
lethal embryonic death?

Homozygous inheritance of lethal

genes exists in horses, cats, rats,
alpaca, and mice (1).

1: Gruneberg 1936; Hintz and Van Vleck 1979; Geissler

Agouti gene in mice et al. 1981; Niwa et al. 1991; Hosoda et al. 1994;
Santschi et al. 1998
Lethal white in horses

Merle
gene in
Australian
Shepherds
So how can we prove this?

If MM is lethal, then
rather than produce a 3:1
(75%) mosaic offspring,
mosaic x mosaic pairings
hypothetically will result
66% in a 2:1 (66%) ratio of
33% mosaic to non-mosaic
offspring.
 Why not just use the database?

Oftentimes breeders do not put pet-only gliders in the database.

“Rarer” colors are more likely to be sold for breeding, and thus be put in
the database, skewing results.
Part 2: Powdering (graying)
 Some famous piebalds before and after…

Sparrow
Credit: Tyler Cleckley,
Shelley S.

Kaleidoscope
Credit: Priscilla Price
Sometimes, gliders can powder pied (progressive pieds)

Photo credit: Brittany H.

Diamond as a joey
Photo credit: Adri Lopez

Pixie

Diamond as an adult
 Possible candidate genes?
• Vitiligo gene
• Chinchilla/silvering gene
• G locus “graying gene” (what turns gray horses white)

Silvering Gene
 Gray at 4 years old

Sometimes “blood mark” patches

are left on horses that gray out

Same horse 3 years later

Part One: Mosaic Gene Inheritance
• Must have lineage
• Must be breeding mosaic x mosaic
• Report how many gliders born mosaic vs. non

Part Two: Powdering (Graying)

• Must have lineage
• May be pet-only or breeding
• Pictures of glider as a joey and as an adult (preferred)
• OR your description on whether or not glider has powdered