The Lutino Gene
An Overview of the Lutino Gene in Rabbits
The Lutino gene is a gene that is more commonly found in mice, cavies and birds. The Lutino has been around for a few years, dating back to 1985 where a Danish breeder came across the color in a litter of Harlequin Netherland Dwarfs. Thay have since popped up in parts of Scandinavia into Holland, the UK and the US, starting with Bob Whitman exporting some over around 2005. Unfortunately, the color disappeared from the US until 2014 when Allen Messick and Randy Shumaker imported several Lutino Netherland Dwarfs from the UK. in an effort to develop the variety in American Netherland Dwarfs,
The Lutino gene acts as a color stripping gene, similar to the color stripping nature of the Chinchilla gene. The Chin gene removes the red, yellow and beige pigments from the hair shaft. Similarly, the Lutino gene does the same, but instead of removing the red, yellow and beige, it removes the black pigments instead. So a chestnut or castor will be stripped of the black tipping, leaving behind a rich, fiery red. A self black will turn a dove beige, etc. In addition, the black pigment of the eyes will also be stripped, leaving behind a pink eye of various hues, depending on the variety.
"The lutino coloration is called a "p mutation" because of an integral membrane p protein. The p-protein appears to be a transporter, however for exactly what remains unknown. Because high levels of tyrosine induce pigmentation in the eye’s melanocytes it would suggest this p protein plays a role in tyrosine transport.
It does not only affect the eye but coat color as well. It is recessive (so P is normal and p is the mutation) and a rabbit that is pp will have the pink eyes and also the fur color changes. In a sense, this mutation causes an effect similar to the non-extension gene, just to a less degree and with the addition of the pink eyes. This is due to the decreased production of eumelanin with yet little effect on pheomelanin.
While there could be different variants, the basic orange colored lutinos are genetically A_B_C_D_eepp. Cream colored lutinos (called “Shadow”) and are genetically A_B_C_D_E_pp. The p mutation can create other colors with different base genotypes. This is not a "new" mutation. It is the one of the more common forms of albinism. The official name is type II oculocutaneous albinism. It is a Tyrosinase positive form. In mice, the protein product of this p locus’ first intraluminal loop was studied back in 1994.
In mice, William Castle wrote about it in 1909.
So as one can see, this has been a long studied mutation. However, we still have a lot to learn about exactly what this transport protein does and the exact mechanism by which it works." -Amy's Rabbit Ranch
1. Rosemblat, Susana. et al. Identification of a melanosomal membrane protein encoded by the pink-eyed dilution (type II oculocutaneous
albinism) gene. PNAS. December 1994; 91: 12071-12075.
2. Russell, ES.Genetics 34: 146 March 1949
3. Castle, WE. The Peculiar Inheritance of Pink Eyes Among Colored Mice.Science. 3 September 1909; 30(766): 313-314.
--------------------------------------------------
lu·ti·no
/lo͞oˈtēnō/
: early 20th century: from Latin luteus ‘yellow’ + -ino, on the pattern of albino .
The Lutino gene acts as a color stripping gene, similar to the color stripping nature of the Chinchilla gene. The Chin gene removes the red, yellow and beige pigments from the hair shaft. Similarly, the Lutino gene does the same, but instead of removing the red, yellow and beige, it removes the black pigments instead. So a chestnut or castor will be stripped of the black tipping, leaving behind a rich, fiery red. A self black will turn a dove beige, etc. In addition, the black pigment of the eyes will also be stripped, leaving behind a pink eye of various hues, depending on the variety.
"The lutino coloration is called a "p mutation" because of an integral membrane p protein. The p-protein appears to be a transporter, however for exactly what remains unknown. Because high levels of tyrosine induce pigmentation in the eye’s melanocytes it would suggest this p protein plays a role in tyrosine transport.
It does not only affect the eye but coat color as well. It is recessive (so P is normal and p is the mutation) and a rabbit that is pp will have the pink eyes and also the fur color changes. In a sense, this mutation causes an effect similar to the non-extension gene, just to a less degree and with the addition of the pink eyes. This is due to the decreased production of eumelanin with yet little effect on pheomelanin.
While there could be different variants, the basic orange colored lutinos are genetically A_B_C_D_eepp. Cream colored lutinos (called “Shadow”) and are genetically A_B_C_D_E_pp. The p mutation can create other colors with different base genotypes. This is not a "new" mutation. It is the one of the more common forms of albinism. The official name is type II oculocutaneous albinism. It is a Tyrosinase positive form. In mice, the protein product of this p locus’ first intraluminal loop was studied back in 1994.
In mice, William Castle wrote about it in 1909.
So as one can see, this has been a long studied mutation. However, we still have a lot to learn about exactly what this transport protein does and the exact mechanism by which it works." -Amy's Rabbit Ranch
1. Rosemblat, Susana. et al. Identification of a melanosomal membrane protein encoded by the pink-eyed dilution (type II oculocutaneous
albinism) gene. PNAS. December 1994; 91: 12071-12075.
2. Russell, ES.Genetics 34: 146 March 1949
3. Castle, WE. The Peculiar Inheritance of Pink Eyes Among Colored Mice.Science. 3 September 1909; 30(766): 313-314.
--------------------------------------------------
lu·ti·no
/lo͞oˈtēnō/
: early 20th century: from Latin luteus ‘yellow’ + -ino, on the pattern of albino .