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Curly Coat (LPAR6 gene, Cornish Rex and German Rex)

Curly Coat (LPAR6 gene, Cornish Rex and German Rex)

This type of coat is also known as "Rex" phenotype and stands out for being a curly or woolly coat instead of the common smooth coat.

Definition

The curly or woolly coat, present in breeds such as the Cornish Rex and German Rex, is caused by a variant in the LPAR6 gene that encodes a protein involved in the maintenance of hair follicle structure and uniform hair growth. Modification of this gene causes significant alterations in the coat, resulting in unique phenotypes such as the characteristic coat of the Cornish Rex and German Rex breeds.

Genetic basis

The genetic variant associated with this phenotype involves a small deletion c.250_253del in the LPAR6 gene. The allele responsible for the curly coat is known as r. This trait has an autosomal recessive inheritance which means that two copies of the variant are required for the trait to be expressed. However, the presence of a single copy of the variant can be transmitted to offspring with a 50% probability.

Other relevant information

The coat of Cornish Rex and German Rex cats can change throughout their lives. Some cats are born with a curly coat that is temporarily smoothed out before curling again in adulthood.

Bibliography

Gandolfi B, Alhaddad H, Affolter VK, et al. To the Root of the Curl: A Signature of a Recent Selective Sweep Identifies a Mutation That Defines the Cornish Rex Cat Breed. PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e67105. Published 2013 Jun 27.

Zorc M, Horvat T, Tanšek A, et al. Selection Signatures Reveal Candidate Genes for the Cornish Rex Breed-Specific Phenotype. Genes (Basel). 2024;15(3):368. Published 2024 Mar 16.