White tiger's coat down to one change in a gene

Source: BBC

23 May 2013 Last updated at 16:23 GMT

White tiger's coat down to one change in a gene

Chinese scientists have acquired new insights into how white tigers get their colouration.

The researchers have traced the cause to a single change in a gene known to drive pigmentation in a host of animals, including humans.

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Shu-Jin Luo of Peking University and colleagues report in the journal Current Biology how they investigated the genetics of a family of tigers living in Chimelong Safari Park in Panyu, Guangzhou Province.

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The study zeroed in on the pigment gene called SLC45A2, which has long been associated with the light colouration seen in some human populations, and in a range of other animals including horses, chickens, and fish.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22638341