Who Am I?
Awards
Bucks
Does
Dictionary
Care
Colors
E-Cards
For Sale
Fun Stuff
Genetics
Genotypes
Graphic Design
Litters
Names
Quiz
Links
Policies
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is the blueprint for all different characteristics. Chromosomes contain DNA, and come in pairs of two. Rabbits have 22 pairs of chromosomes, or 44 total. Each one contains genes with DNA that determines every single characteristics that a rabbit has.
Dominant and Recessive Genes
Most genes come in both a dominant and recessive form. Dominant genes are written with a capital letter, such a 'A'. The 'A" stands for a certain gene. Recessive genes are written with a lower case letter, such as 'a'. It normaly only takes one dominant gene to show that particular characteristic, but it takes two recessives to show a recessive characteristic. If there is one dominant and one recessive (called heterozygous), then the rabbit will show the dominant trait or a variation of it. If a variation of a dominant trait is shown, it is called incompleate dominance. Or, if both the dominant trait and recessive show up, it is called co-dominance. An example of this would be a roan cow or horse.
Rabbit Genes
There are 10 color gene groups in rabbits. They are A, B, C, D, E, En, Du, Si, V, and W. There are also recessive forms of these genes. On top of these, there are also modifires, which modify a certain gene. These include the rufus modifires, color intesifiers, and plus/minus (blanket/spot) modifiers. A rabbit's coat only has two pigments, yellow and dark brown. There can also be no pigment, causeing a albino or white rabbit.
Color Genes
*remember that lower case are recessive and capital letters are dominant*
"A" is the agouti color group (wild rabbit color). The genes in this catigory are:
A= agouti (chestnut, lynx, agouti)
at= tan pattern (tan, silver martin)
a= self or non-agouti (black, chocolate)
"B" is the black color group. The genes are:
B= black (chestnut, agouti, black)
b= brown (chocolate)
"C" is the color group. A chesnut will still be a chesnut, a black still a black, and so on.
C= full color (black)
c*chd= dark chinchilla (chinchilla)
c*chl= light chinchilla (seal point, smoke pearl)
ch= hymalayan (black pointed white)
c= albino (ruby-eyed white or REW)
"D" is the dilute group. For example, a black rabbit with this gene is a blue.
D= dense color (normal coloring, like a dominant C)
d= diluted color (blue)
"E" is the extention group. It works with the 'C' gene and rufus modifires. When it is recessive, it removes all dark pigment.
E= normal dark pigment (black)
Es= steel
ej= japanese brindling (harlequin)
e= no dark pigment (frosted pearl)
"En" is the plus/ minus (blanket/spot) color group. It creates the broken color pattern.
En= english spotting (broken, which is white and another color)
en= self (no white areas, solid color)
"Du" causes the dutch color patern, which is white on the head, white band behind the head, and white back feet.
Du= absence of dutch pattern
du= dutch pattern
"V" stands for vienna white, which is the blue-eyed white (BEW).
V= normal color
v= vienna white (BEW)
"Si" causes a silver color.
Si= normal color
si= silver color (silver, silver fox)
"W" works with the agouti gene and can widen the middle yellow-white band.
W= normal width of yellow band (chinchilla)
w= doubles yellow band width (new zealand red)