Friday, April 16, 2021

Handstand Gene Defect in Rabbits



One breed of rabbits has been found to do handstands and walk on their front legs rather than hop. This may be a result to a mutation of the gene RORB, scientists have found. RORB is a gene connected to limb movement. This finding is truly fascinating to see and learning more about this study may also help researchers discover more about the spinal cord. 

The article describes one study where the hop-less rabbits are bred with rabbits that can hop. The researchers compared the offspring that could hop to those that could not. This is where the mutation of the RORB gene was found to be the likely culprit of the hand stands. However, more research needs to be completed to find how exactly this gene affects the coordination of limbs and why it causes handstands in rabbits and other animals. 


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2 comments:

  1. Jacen WorsdorferApril 25, 2021 at 2:06 PM

    I think it is cool to see a rabbit that can do a handstand. The issue is if the rabbits can not hop does that make them easier for a predator to catch them in the wild.

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  2. Danielle HarzoldJuly 28, 2021 at 12:44 PM

    It’s unfortunate to hear that rabbits with mutations in the RORB gene cannot hop, as this disadvantage will most likely result in more of these rabbits being eaten by predators. However, it is good to hear that researchers are learning more about the spinal cord through studying this mutation.

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