Bengal Cat Coats Are Less Wild Than They Look, Genetic Study Finds

Sarah C.P. Williams, from Stanford Medicine, writes that Bengal cats have marbled and spotted coats that make them look like smaller versions of jungle cats. It was assumed that the coats they have come from genes of Asian leopard cats that were bred with house cats, but now researchers are finding new evidence for another reason. They have discovered that their coat can be traced back to domestic cat genes that were aggressively selected for after cats were bred with wild cats. The appearance of the Bengal cat has always been present in domestic cat and through breeding they were able to bring the genes out. 

Cats are a good subject to use when studying how genetic variation leads to variation in appearance.  Asian leopard cat species Prionailurus bengalensis was crossed with domestic cats to create a new breed. Over many generations, cats with desired traits were selectively bred. Bengals were an interesting subject to study because they a recent genetic origin and unique appearance. This information is incredibly valuable to breeders because they will be able to “fine-tune” the way they breed animals to create new colors and patterns. Breeders are contributing their cats’ DNA for the study and want to be part of the data analysis as they are interested in learning more about their cat. Artificial selection is powerful, and research are just starting to realize this as they have discovered that Bengal cat coats could have possibly been selected without the help of the Asian leopard cat. 

As someone with an interest and a love for cats reading this article was intriguing. I never would have thought that the reason for the Bengals coats wasn’t because they were being bred from Asian leopard cats. It was interesting to learn that the coat colors came from the domestic cat and the genes were coaxed from specific breeding. 

Main Article: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/03/bengal-cats.html

2nd link: https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/breed/asian-leopard-cat 

Genetic Factors in Tameness of Rats

In 1959 Dmitri Belyaev, a Soviet scientist, began experiments in the pursuit to domesticate foxes. Through a series of multiple crosses only involving those foxes who displayed the least amount of timidness and the most amount of "kindness", Dmitri sought after a tame silver fox. It only took 20 generations for 35% of the experimental population to reach an "elite" level, meaning these foxes were not only tame and nonhostile, but were eager for human contact. 

Researchers at the University of Leipzig in Germany followed up these experiments by trying to understand the genetic variables involved of the tameness of animals. Using rats who's ancestors were the start of an experiment started by Dmitri over 40 years ago, researchers carried out the same process of breeding those rats most kind to researchers while also breeding those rats who were most hostile or timid in a separate group. Researchers found that after over 60 generations of breeding, mice from the two groups behaved very differently. The rats of the timid group were apt to running away or attacking upon contact with a researcher, while the rats of the "tame" group were easily handled and were comfortable in human presence. Researchers were able to identify gene regions that were responsible for tameness upon crossing these rats to produce hybrids. It was found that some gene regions contained gene variants that were more active in aggressive rats while some gene regions were more active in the tame rats. More research must be done to determine exactly what genes are in play when domesticating animals and how these genes work. Animals have been domesticated for thousands of years but the genetic factors involved in these domestication processes are still little known which is why more research like this must be done.

Article Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141107091658.htm
Supporting Link: http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pgen.1002962

Thank You Genetic Changes For My Precious Cat

Everyone knows that cats are the best animal, but little was known about how genetics influenced the domestication of the cat. A recent study showed that found some of the genes that were responsible for the differences in wildcats and house cats. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that also looks at a journal article released in Gigascience that was about the cat genome. This was worked on internationally because cats are just that important. Really, they are important because more than 250 diseases that are found in humans are similar in cats. Cats are useful for the study of medicine and diseases for humans.

My cat Scruffles with Goldie the Chicken. He doesn't ever attack chickens.

The study showed that that the difference in house and wild cat personalities are their genes according to Stephen O'Brien. He said that cat domestication began with the spread of agriculture and wildcats were scavenging for waste. He believes that our human ancestors worked their way up to approaching a feeding wildcat and maybe even got their hands on a few kittens.
Looking at the genome, researchers found 3 possible genetic links that lead to a change in the temperament of the cats. House cats have mutations on genes to mediate aggressive behavior, form memories, and control the ability to learn based on stimuli. These cats mated and passed these gene changes onto their precious little kittens. Humans also were found to change the genes involved in cat diets because cats began to be able to digest plant matter much more efficiently. Getting involved with humans caused cats to become more domesticated and become the lovable cuddly balls of fur they are today.
This article is exciting because the genomes of cats have been examined more and can lead to medical changes for humans as more research is done. It also shows how genome sequencing are being deciphered and how scientists can link certain genes to certain traits and discover mutations and changes. It is also just exciting because it is about cats. Overall this article is a good read though.

Article: http://www.wired.com/2014/11/genes-cat-domestication/