TinysMom
Well-Known Member
I really struggle some with this gene and the C gene - so I'm simply going to quote a website and hope Pam and others will pop in with more information...
Rabbit Coat Color Gene E Rabbit Genetics For Extension And Non-Extension [align=left] [/align]
The E/e gene controls whether the basic color on the rabbit (black, blue, chocolate, or lilac) is extended all of the way to the end of the hair shaft or whether the basic color stops and another finishes the hair shaft (such as the orange color on the back of a black tortoiseshell). When a rabbit has full extension, it tends to look the same color all over, such as with a blue rabbit. When there is non-extension, such as with a black tortoiseshell, the rabbit takes on a shaded look since the shorter hairs on the belly, guard hairs, feet and muzzle get only the basic color (they are not long enough to get the other color that finishes off the longer hairs). That all sounds simple enough, but there is a complication. Some C-series genes can also give a shaded look for a different reason (check out the sable gene, for example).
I left out the steel gene, that is, the Es gene, on purpose. It's a variant on the extension gene that has a surprising twist. Usually the gene that is found in nature is the dominant variety. But with the steel gene, it is actually dominant over the "E" full extension gene found in nature. You need only look for steeling in full-extension animals: black, blue, chocolate, lilac, etc. It will never show up in "e-e" rabbits: black tortoiseshell, chocolate tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, etc.
Only one color of rabbit is called simply "Steel." It has the genotype A- B- C- D- Es-. It is genetically a steel-tipped chestnut. All other colors are "steel-tipped," such as a "steel-tipped black."
A fourth e-gene exists, but is used only for creating tri-colored rabbits. It is the Ej gene, which I will not deal with further since it is fairly rare in Holland Lops.
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/EGene.htm
Peg's note: The ej gene is the one that creates harlequins - and tris (when it has the broken gene present).
Rabbit Coat Color Gene E Rabbit Genetics For Extension And Non-Extension [align=left] [/align]
The E/e gene controls whether the basic color on the rabbit (black, blue, chocolate, or lilac) is extended all of the way to the end of the hair shaft or whether the basic color stops and another finishes the hair shaft (such as the orange color on the back of a black tortoiseshell). When a rabbit has full extension, it tends to look the same color all over, such as with a blue rabbit. When there is non-extension, such as with a black tortoiseshell, the rabbit takes on a shaded look since the shorter hairs on the belly, guard hairs, feet and muzzle get only the basic color (they are not long enough to get the other color that finishes off the longer hairs). That all sounds simple enough, but there is a complication. Some C-series genes can also give a shaded look for a different reason (check out the sable gene, for example).
I left out the steel gene, that is, the Es gene, on purpose. It's a variant on the extension gene that has a surprising twist. Usually the gene that is found in nature is the dominant variety. But with the steel gene, it is actually dominant over the "E" full extension gene found in nature. You need only look for steeling in full-extension animals: black, blue, chocolate, lilac, etc. It will never show up in "e-e" rabbits: black tortoiseshell, chocolate tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, etc.
Only one color of rabbit is called simply "Steel." It has the genotype A- B- C- D- Es-. It is genetically a steel-tipped chestnut. All other colors are "steel-tipped," such as a "steel-tipped black."
A fourth e-gene exists, but is used only for creating tri-colored rabbits. It is the Ej gene, which I will not deal with further since it is fairly rare in Holland Lops.
http://www.thenaturetrail.com/EGene.htm
Peg's note: The ej gene is the one that creates harlequins - and tris (when it has the broken gene present).
