Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I asked this in another thread, but it is kind of far down.

Say you have normal gene A and mutant genes B and C

AA = normal
AB = looks like AA in apearance
AC = looks like AA in apearance.

Thus B and C are recessive.

Is it possible in that scenario for

BC to look different than AA, BB, or CC - thus, B & C are codominate with each other yet both recessive with respect to A?

Could that be what is happening with the peanut butter?
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3.0 WC; 0.2 CB L. getula californiae
0.1 WC; 0.0.10 CH Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata

>Is it possible in that scenario for BC to look different than AA, BB, or CC - thus, B & C are codominate with each other yet both recessive with respect to A?

Yes. For example, this is exactly what happens with the multiple alleles at the c locus of the laboratory mouse. These include chinchilla, himalayan, and albino. All are recessive to the normal allele and codominant (note spelling) to each other. The albino mutant is tyrosinase negative.

>Could that be what is happening with the peanut butter?

It could. I think more work needs to be done before it is considered an established fact, though.

Paul Hollander