Color dilution is an inherited trait related to variants in the MLPH gene, which cause lightening or dilution of feline coat coloration, resulting in colors such as gray or cream.
Definition
Dilute coat consists of a lightening of the color of the feline coat, where black colors turn gray and orange colors appear cream. The affected gene is MLPH, encoding the melanophilin protein, which is involved in the transport of melanin in hair cells. A mutation in this gene can cause an abnormal distribution of melanin, resulting in color dilution.
Genetic basis
The d allele is responsible for the dilute coat and consists of a c.83del deletion in the MLPH gene. The variant follows an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, thus two copies of the variant are required to obtain a more dilute coat coloration. The presence of a single copy would not result in the expression of the above phenotype but can be transmitted to feline offspring with a 50% probability.
Other relevant information
Although we are talking about a mutation, which at first might sound undesirable, this variant causing the thinned coat is a desired characteristic in some cat breeds, such as the Russian Blue and the Chartreux.
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