Good points here.

From the scientific point of view, it is not "normally" possible to have 3 alleles of the same genetic locus. What could happen is multiple polymorphisms in the same gene.

For example (and only hypothetical), you could have a two different possible genetic changes in the tyrosinase gene. Because of the fact that DNA makes RNA makes protein... and the 4 bases in DNA are AGTC.

If a "G" base at position 219 made a change in the tyrosinase protein that made it less efficient - you could get the toffee because it could still make a little bit of active tyrosinase protein to produce the pigment. On the other hand, if your have the normal A at site 219 but have a C at position 350 of the gene instead of a A, you could make only half of the tyrosinase protein that cannot make any of the pigment so you would get an albino that has stark white. Genetically, you could have both mutations in the same gene, but the the short protein would dominate and you get only white. However, a toffino with one partly good gene would appear toffee rather than white.

In the case of lesser/mojo/russo and the other BEL animals, they are likely to all be changes at different points in the pigmentation pathways so that they complement each other and produce slightly different colors depending on whether there are 1, 2, or 3 sites in the genes that are changed.

[ Show Entire Thread ]