Re: Paint and pinto coloring

[Kirsten Price <kirsten@vermilion.reno.nv.us>]

Please be careful with the use of terms "dominant" and "recessive" when
you are talking about equine color genetics.  Technically (at least
according to Sponnenberg)... chestnut is indeed a recessive allele
(requires both alleles, one from each parent, in order to be
expressed).  However, the action of the chestnut alleles when two (both)
are present is to mask the effect of other color genes.  Since you are
talking about different genes at different sites (bay and chestnut for
example), the classic dominant/recessive relationship does not exist
with respect to chestnut and other colors. To say that "chestnut is
dominant to bay" or "gray is dominant to chestnut" is a misleading use
of the term "dominant" when it comes to the interaction of alleles. It
might be more appropriate and less confusing to use the terms "mask" or
"override".

I believe I understand this all well enough to explain it to anyone who
is interested.  Feel free to e-mail me privately and I'll do my best.

--
Kirsten Price
Vermilion Desert Ranch
Reno Nevada

http://www.eqwi.com/Ads/V/Vermillion/vermilion.htm