Where did the merle gene come from?
The merle pattern is produced when a dog has a single copy of the M< allele. All merle dogs have the genotype Mm — meaning they have one allele for merle and one allele for non-merle.
What breed did merle originate in?
Common in Great Danes, (and registered as Harlequin) it is less commonly seen in other breeds such as the Catahoula Leopard Dog, Shetland Sheepdog and Collie, where the dogs are registered simply as merle. In 2018, a published paper identified multiple different types of merle that affect coat color differently.
Are merle dogs purebred?
The practice is controversial. This is because it requires crossbreeding and potentially brings health issues to the target breed. French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, and Pugs now come in a merle pattern but these dogs are not purebred. Chihuahuas also come in merle but are rejected by the UK Kennel Club.
When was merle created?
Introduction And History Of Merle There have been many questions regarding Merle since Dr. LA Clark first idenfied the mutation in 2006. Since Merle affects so many breeds I am sharing this excerpt from my book in order to make this important information more accessible for everyone in all breeds.
What breeds carry the merle gene?
The Merle pattern can be seen in various breeds, such as the Australian Shepherd Dog, Australian Koolie, Border Collie, Dachshund, French Bulldog, Louisiana Catahoula, Labradoodle, Miniature American Shepherd, Miniature Australian Shepherd, Pyrenean Shepherd, Rough Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Welsh Sheepdog, Cardigan …
Is merle a genetic mutation?
Merle is among the most exciting coat color mutations of dogs both phenotypically and genotypically. The autosomal semidominant inheritance of this mutation was described nearly a century ago. Two alleles have been identified and distinguished: the wild “m” allele and the mutant “M” (or merle) allele [8].
Does AKC recognize merle?
The Kennel Club has announced that it will no longer accept registration applications for merle-coloured dogs in breeds where there is no documented evidence of the colour having been well established over a sustained period.
Is merle a recessive gene?
The M locus is the home of the merle allele. Merle is dominant, and so denoted by the capital letter M. Non-merle is recessive, and denoted by m. There are a number of different merle alleles, which are dealt with on their own page here.
What is a Phantom merle?
Cryptic (phantom) merles are merles that have no visible blue or light red, yet they can produce merles when bred to nonmerles. They can also produce homozygous merles if bred to a merle. This can be quite a surprise to the breeder, when two seemingly black tris produce a litter that contains merles as well.
Is the merle gene a defect?
An autosomal, incompletely dominant trait, merle coat coloring predisposes dogs to inherited deafness. When inherited in the homozygous state, the merle mutation causes dogs to be white and have an even greater incidence of deafness, blindness and sterility.
Is the merle gene recessive?