Polymorphic loci of coat color in mini-pigs

The present work is phenomenological and purely descriptive. It shows polymorphism of colors in a breeding group of mini-pig in the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICG SB RAS) and makes some assumptions about the nature of this genetic diversity. In the ICG SB RAS mini-pig herd, wild-type coloration (agouti), black-spots, black and white color are present. All these options have variants, including previously undescribed, with genetically determined differences. In addition, the ICG SB RAS mini-pigs have variants inherent only to heterozygous individuals and archaic gray color described only in primitive domestic pig. Comparison of the observed color phenotypes in the breeding with literature data showed that EDNRB, KIT, KITLG and the MC1R are polymorphic loci, while ASIP, OCA2 and TYRP1 are monomorphic loci. Thus, the loci that control the most common coat colors in domestic pigs are polymorphic, while those controlling rare or relatively rare colors and monomorphic. The research allowed us to put forward some assumptions concerning the genetic determination of the phenotypic characteristics of color seen in the study group selection. Among these assumptions is one about the genetic control of juvenile colors in domestic pigs. Observations made in the ICG SB RAS mini-pig breeding group allowed us to examine and describe the features of age-related changes of an embodiment of black-motley suit, when newborn piglets originally have black-and-motley fur color on the brick-red background and at an age of one year, a gray roan background formed by a mixture of white and black hairs. In addition, it was shown that with the help of technical means black spots can also be detected on a black background.

1. Andersson L., Plastow G. Molecular genetics of coat colour variation. The Genetics of the Pig. 2nd еdition (Eds. M.F. Rothschild, A. Ruvinsky). CAB International, 2011:38-50.

2. Berge S. Heredity of colour in pigs (in Norwegian). Tidsskr. Norske Landbr. 1961;68:159-188.

3. Bromley G.F., Kucherenko S.P. Kopytnye yuga Dalnego Vostoka SSSR [The Ungulates of the Soviet Far East]. Moscow, 1983. (in Rus-sian)

4. Brumbaugh J.A., Chatterjee G., Hollander W.F. Adendritic melanocytes: A mutation in linkage group II of the fowl. J. Heredity. 1972;63(1):19-25.

5. Buchaman-Smith A.D., Robison O.J., Bryant D.M. The Genetics of the Pig. Univ. of Edinburg, Institute of Animal Genetics, 1935.

6. Butarin N.S. Otdalennaya gibridizatsiya v zhivotnovodstve [Remote hybridization in animal breeding]. Alma-Ata, 1964. (in Russian)

7. Carrion D., Day A., Evans A., Mitsuhashi T., Archibald A., Haley C., Andersson L., Plastow G. The use of MC1R and KIT genotypes for breed characterization. Arch. Zootec. 2003;52:237- 244.

8. Carr-Saunders A.M. Note on inheritance in swine. Science. 1922;55:19.

9. Charing F. Porody sviney v drugikh stranakh Zapadnoy i Yuzhnoy Evropy. Rukovodstvo po razvedeniyu zhivotnykh [Pig Breeds in Countries of Western and Southern Europe. Animal husbandry manual]. Moscow, 1965;3:45-98. (in Russian)

10. Constantinescu G.K. Vererbungsversucke an Schweinen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Mangalitzaschweines. Z. Zucht. 1933; 26:395-427.

11. Danilkin A.A. Svinye (Suidae). Mlekopitayushchie Rossii i sopredelnykh regionov [Pigs (Suidae). Mammals of Russia and neighboring regions]. Moscow, 2002. (in Russian)

12. Dechambre P. L‘hibridation du sanglier et du porc. Revue Hist. Nat. Appl. 1925;6:207-212.

13. Dechambre P. Etudes genetiques sur les porcs et les sangliers. Recl. Med. Vet. Ec. Alfort. 1926;105:129-184.

14. Drögemüller C., Giese A., Martins-Wess F., Wiedemann S., Andersson L., Brenig B., Fries R., Leeb T. The mutation causing the blackand-tan pigmentation phenotype of Mangalitza pigs maps to the porcine ASIP locus but does not affect its coding sequence. Mammalian Genome. 2006;17:58-66.

15. Fang M., Larson G., Ribeiro H.S., Li N., Andersson L. Contrasting mode of evolution at a coat color locus in wild and domestic pigs. PLoS Genetics. 2009;5:e1000341.

16. Fernandez A., Silio L., Rodriguez C., Ovilo C. Characterization of OCA2 cDNA in different porcine breeds and analysis of its potential effect on skin pigmentation in a red Iberian strain. Animal Genetics. 2006;37:166-170.

17. Fontanesi L., D’Alessandro E., Scotti E., Liotta L., Crovetti A., Chiofalo V., Russo V. Genetic heterogeneity and selection signature at the KIT gene in pigs showing different coat colours and patterns. Animal Genetics. 2010;41:478-492.

18. Fontanesi L., D’Alessandro E., Scotti E., Liotta L., Chiofalo V., Russo V. Analysis of the KIT gene in a Sicilian pig population and identification of the I d allele at the Dominant white locus. (Eds. E.J. De Pedro, A.B. Cabezas). 7th Intern. Symp. on the Mediterranean Pig. Zaragoza: CIHEAM, 2012;25-29.

19. Fontanesi L., Russo V. Molecular genetics of coat colour in pigs. Acta Argiculturae Slovenica, Ljubljana. 2013;4:15-20.

20. Giuffra E., Evans G., Tornsten A., Wales R., Day A., Looft H., Plastow G., Andersson L. The Belt mutation in pigs is an allele at the Dominant white ( I/KIT) locus. Mammalian Genome. 1999;10: 1132-1136.

21. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. I. General survey of major color variations in swine. J. Heredity. 1945a;36:121-128.

22. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. II. Result of Landrace by Poland China crosses. J. Heredity. 1945b;36:187-192.

23. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. III. Result of Landrace by Berkshire crosses. J. Heredity. 1945c;36:255-256.

24. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. IV. Analysis of hybrids of Landrace and Large Black. J. Heredity. 1945d;36:309-312.

25. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. V. Results of Landrace by Duroc-Jersey crosses. J. Heredity. 1946;37:217-224.

26. Hetzer H.O. Inheritance of coat color in swine. VII. Results of Landrace by Hampshire crosses. J. Heredity. 1948;39:123-128.

27. Hetzer H.O. Effectiveness of selection for extension of black-spotting in Beltsville No. 1 swine. J. Heredity. 1954;45:215-223.

28. Hirooka H., de Koning D.J., van Arendork J.A.M., Harlizius В., Groot P.N., Bovenhuis Н. Genome scan reveals new coat color loci in exotic pig cross. J. Heredity. 2002;93(1):1-8.

29. Ivanchuk V.A. Biogenetic features of rare swine breeds. Veterinariya selskokhozyaystvennykh zhivotnykh = Veterinary of livestock. 2011;2:55-60. (in Russian)

30. Kabanov V.D., Terentyeva A.S. Porody sviney [Pig Breeds]. Moscow, Agropromizdat Publ., 1985. (in Russian)

31. Kijas J.M., Moller M., Plastow G., Andersson L. A frameshift mutation in MC1R and a high frequency of somatic reversions cause black spotting in pigs. Genetics. 2001;158:779-785.

32. Kijas J.M.H., Wales R., Törnsten A., Chardon P., Moller M., Andersson L. Melanocortin receptor (MC1R) and coat color in pigs. Genetics. 1998;150:1177-1185.

33. Kosswig C., Ossent H.P. Die Vererbung der Haarfarben beim Schwein. L. Lucht. 1931;22:297-381.

34. Kozlo P.G. Opredelenie vozrasta, selektsiya i otlov dikogo kabana [Age Determination, Selection, and Entrapment of Wild Boars]. Minsk, Uradzhay Publ., 1973. (in Russian)

35. Kronacher C. Vererbungsversushe und Beobachtungen an Schweinen. Z. Indukt. Abstamm. u. Verer Lehre. 1924;34:1-120.

36. Lai F., Ren J., Ai H., Ding N., Ma J., Zeng D., Chen C., Gou Y., Huang L. Chinese white Rongchang pig does not have the dominant white allele of KIT but has the dominant black allele of MC1R. J. Heredity. 2007;98(1):84-87.

37. Lauvergne J.J., Malynicz G.L., Quartermain A.R. Coat colour variants of village pigs in Papua New Guinea. Ann. Genet. Sel. Anim. 1982;14:29-42.

38. Legault C. Genetics of colour variation. The Genetics of the Pig (Eds. M.F. Rothschild, A. Ruvinsky). CAB International, Wallingford, UK, 1998;51-69.

39. Lightner J.K. Genetics of coat colour: the agouti signaling protein (ASIP) gene. Answers Res. J. 2009;2:79-84.

40. Lush J.L. Inheritances in swine. J. Heredity. 1921;12:57-71.

41. Mao H., Ren J., Ding N., Xiao S., Huang L. Genetic variation within coat color genes of MC1R and ASIP in Chinese brownish red Tibetan pigs. Animal Sci. J. 2010;81(6):630-634.

42. Mayer J.J., Brisbin I.L. Distinguishind feral hogs from introduced wild boar and their hybrids: a review of past and present efforts. Feral Swine: A Compendium for Resourse Managers (Eds. C.W. Hanselka, J.F. Cadenhead). San Angelo, TX: Texas Agricult. Extension Service, 1993;28-49.

43. McCann B., Davie D.K., Feldhamer G.A. Distribution, habitat use, and morphotypes of Feral Hogs (Sus scrofa) in Illinoise. Transactions of Illinoise State Academy of Science. 2003;96(4):301-311.

44. Meynhardt H. Vier Jahre unter Wildschweinen. Leipzig, 1978.

45. Nikitin S.V., Knyazev S.P., Shatokhin K.S. Miniature pigs of ICG as a model object for morphogenetic research. Russ. J. Genet.: Appl. Res. 2014;4(6):511-522.

46. Nikitin S.V., Lobkov J.I. A lethal allele of pigs Spotted gene. Genetika = Genetics (Moscow). 1996;32(8):1119-1125. (in Russian)

47. Nikitin S.V., Vorozheikin A.S. Features of the inheritance of gray spots in domestic pigs. Genetika = Genetics (Moscow). 1994;30(5):675-680. (in Russian)

48. Ollivier L., Sellier Р. Pig genetics: a review. Ann. Genet. Sel. Anim., 1982;14(4):481-544.

49. Ossent H.P. Rezessives Weiβ und Frischlingsstreifung der Mangalitza-Schweine. Züchter. 1929;1:11-13.

50. Pielberg G., Olsson C., Syvanen A.C., Andersson L. Unexpectedly high allelic diversity at the KIT locus causing dominant white color in the domestic pig. Genetics. 2002;160:305-311.

51. Ren J., Mao H., Zhang Z., Xiao S., Ding N., Huang L. A 6-bp deletion in the TYRP1 gene causes the brown colouration phenotype in Chinese indigenous pigs. Heredity. 2011;64(106):862- 868.

52. Searle A.J. Comparative genetics of coat color in mammals. London; New York, 1968.

53. Shatokhin K.S., Deeva V.S., Goncharenko G.M., Gryshina N.B., Goryacheva T.S., Akulich E.G., Kononenko E.V., Yermolaev V.I., Nikitin S.V. Genetic features of ICG miniature pigs. Vestnik Novosibirskogo Gosudarstvennogo Agrarnogo Universiteta = Bulletin of the Novosibirsk State Agrarian University. 2014;30(1):75-81. (in Russian)

54. Teodoreanu N.I. Vererbungsbeobachtungen über die Farbe des roten und des schwarzen Mangaliczaschweines. Anal. Acad. Románe (Men. Sect. Stiint.). 1935;10. Men.11:20.

55. Tikhonov V.N. Laboratornye mini-svini: genetika i mediko-biologicheskoe ispolzovanie [Laboratory mini-pigs: Genetics and Medicobiological Usage]. Novosibirsk, Institute of Cytology and Genetics of SB of RAS Publ., 2010. (in Russian)

56. Tikhonov V.N., Ratiany D.P. The hybridological study of coat color and blood group genetics of landrace and Vietnamese pig breeds. Genetika = Genetics (Moscow). 1974;10(1):53-61. (in Russian)

57. Volkopyalov B.P., Lus J.J., Schulzhenko I.F. Porody, genetika i selektsiya sviney [Pig Breeds, Genetics and Breeding]. Moscow; Leningrad, 1934. (in Russian)

58. Vsevolodov E.B., Kaldybaev S.U., Latynov I.F. Pigmentatsiya volosyanogo pokrova dikikh, domashnikh i gibridnykh sviney [Coat color pigmentation in wild, domestic, and hybrid pigs]. Morfologiya i genetika gibridnykh sviney [The Morphology and Genetics of Hybrid Pigs]. Moscow, 1992;42-47. (in Russian)

59. Wentworh E.N., Lush J.L. Inheritance in swine. J. Agric. Res. 1923;23:557-582.

60. Wilkinson S., Lu Z.H., Megens H.J., Archibald A.L., Haley C., Jackson I.J., Groenen M.A., Crooijmans R.P., Ogden R., Wiener P. Signatures of diversifying selection in European pig breeds. PLoS Genetics. 2013;9:e1003453.