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Cream
| Acronym: | Cream |
| Gene: | SLC45A2 (MATP) |
| Mutation: | c.457G>A |
| Inheritance: | Autosomal |
| Sample type: | WBE (Whole Blood EDTA), HA (Hairs - with roots) |
Genetics and characteristics
Horses display a huge variety of distinct coat color patterns that breeders value and they are often caused by a variant in genes responsible for pigment synthesis. Several genes are known to diminish the intensity of the coloration and cause “dilutions”. One of those dilutions is Cream Dilution responsible for the dilution of the base color to their lighter variants. The cause of the cream dilution in horses is a single nucleotide change within the MATP gene, also referred to as Cremello. MATP encodes a protein that plays an important role in disrupting the trafficking of pigment molecules to developing melanocytes or pigment-producing cells. The cream dilution may differ depending on the base coat and the number of mutated copies of the MATP gene the horse has.
The cream dilution in horses has an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance meaning even horses with only one mutated MATP gene will show cream coat color, not only those carrying two mutated copies. If a black horse is carrying one mutated gene causing cream coat it will dilute to Smokey Black, or Smokey Cream if carrying two mutated genes. If a bay horse is carrying one mutated gene causing cream coat it will dilute to Buckskin (also called Isabelle), or Perlino if carrying two mutated genes. If a chestnut horse is carrying one mutated gene causing cream coat it will dilute to Palomino, or Cremello if carrying two mutated genes. Early detection by genetic testing can help identify carriers of the mutation and help breeders in further selection of mating pairs.
Results Reported As
Test Result |
Interpretation of test result |
Normal coat color |
Horse does not have the gene with the mutation and has a normal coat color. |
Cream dilution - Carrier of normal |
Horse has one copy of the gene with the mutation and displays a diluted coat color. |
Cream dilution |
Horse has two copies of the gene with the mutation and displays a diluted coat color. |
References:
Mariat, D., Taourit, S., Guérin, G. (2003). A mutation in the MATP gene causes the cream coat colour in the horse. Genetics, selection, evolution : GSE, 35(1), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.1186/1297-9686-35-1-119
Locke, M. M., Ruth, L. S., Millon, L. V., Penedo, M. C., Murray, J. D., Bowling, A. T. (2001). The cream dilution gene, responsible for the palomino and buckskin coat colours, maps to horse chromosome 21. Animal genetics, 32(6), 340–343. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2052.2001.00806.x
Castle W. E. (1948). The Abc of Color Inheritance in Horses. Genetics, 33(1), 22–35. https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/33.1.22