Stripes and loss of color in ball pythons (Python regius) are associated with variants affecting endothelin signaling.

ABSTRACT: Color patterns in nonavian reptiles are beautifully diverse, but little is known about the genetics and development of these patterns. Here, we investigated color patterning in pet ball pythons (Python regius), which have been bred to show color phenotypes that differ dramatically from the wildtype form. We report that several color phenotypes in pet animals are associated with putative loss-of-function variants in the gene encoding endothelin receptor EDNRB1: (1) frameshift variants in EDNRB1 are associated with conversion of the normal mottled color pattern to skin that is almost fully white, (2) missense variants affecting conserved sites of the EDNRB1 protein are associated with dorsal, longitudinal stripes, and (3) substitutions at EDNRB1 splice donors are associated with subtle chang

SUBMITTER: Dao UM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10320763 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature