Identifying QTL and genetic correlations between fur quality traits in mink (Neovison vison).

Mapping of QTL affecting fur quality traits (guard hair length, guard hair thickness, density of wool, surface of the fur and quality) and skin length was performed in a three-generation mink population (F2 design). In the parental generation, Nordic Brown mink were crossed reciprocally with American Black short nap mink. In all, 1082 mink encompassing three generations were used for the analyses. The mink were genotyped for 104 microsatellites covering all 14 autosomes. The QTL analyses were performed by least-square regression implemented in gridqtl software. Genetic and phenotypic correlations and heritabilities were estimated using the average information-restricted maximum-likelihood method. Evidence was found for QTL affecting fur quality traits on nine autosomes. QTL were detected for guard hair thickness on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6 and 13; for guard hair length on chromosomes 2, 3 and 6; for wool density on chromosomes 6 and 13; for surface on chromosomes 7, 12 and 13; for quality on chromosomes 6, 7, 11 and 13; and for skin length on chromosomes 7 and 9. Proximity of locations of QTL for guard hair length, guard hair thickness and for wool density and quality suggests that some of the traits are in part under the influence of the same genes. Traits under the influence of QTL at close or identical positions also were traits that were strongly genotypically correlated. Based on the results of correlation analyses, the most important single traits influencing the quality were found to be density of wool, guard hair thickness and appearance of the surface.

A frameshift mutation in the LYST gene is responsible for the Aleutian color and the associated Chédiak-Higashi syndrome in American mink.

One of the colors of mink is Aleutian (aa)-a specific gun-metal gray pigmentation of the fur-commonly used in combination with other color loci to generate popular colors such as Violet (aammpp) and Sapphire (aapp). The Aleutian color allele is a manifestation of mink Chédiak-Higashi syndrome (CHS), which has been described in humans and several other species. As with forms of CHS in other species, we report that the mink CHS is linked to the lysosomal trafficking regulator ( LYST ) gene. Furthermore, we have identified a base deletion (c.9468delC) in exon 40 of LYST, which causes a frameshift and virtually terminates the LYST product prematurely (p.Leu3156Phefs*37). We investigated the blood parameters of three wild-type mink and three CHS mink. No difference in the platelet number between the two groups was observed, but an accumulation of platelets between the groups appears different when collagen is used as a coagulant. Microscopic analysis of peripheral blood indicates giant inclusions in the neutrophils of the Aleutian mink types. Molecular findings at the LYST locus enable the development of genetic tests for analyzing the color selection in American mink.

Exclusion of candidate genes for coat colour phenotypes of the American mink (Neovison vison).

In a previous project, we screened the American mink Bacterial Artificial Chromosome library, CHORI-231, for genes potentially involved in various coat colour phenotypes in the American mink. Subsequently, we 454 sequenced the inserts containing these genes and developed microsatellite markers for each of these genes. Here, we describe a lack of association between three different 'roan-type' phenotypes represented by Cross, Stardust and Cinnamon in American mink and six different genes that we considered to be potentially linked to these phenotypes. Thus, c-KIT (HUGO-approved symbol KIT), ATOH-1 (HUGO-approved symbol ATOH1) and POMC were excluded as potential candidates for these three phenotypes. In addition, MITF and SLC24A5 were excluded for Cross and Cinnamon, and KITL (HUGO-approved symbol KITLG) for Cross and Stardust. Although most of these genes have been implicated as the cause of similar phenotypes in other mammals, including horses, pigs, cows, dogs, cats, mice and humans, they do not appear to be responsible for comparable phenotypes found in American mink.

An extended anchored linkage map and virtual mapping for the American mink genome based on homology to human and dog.

In this report we present an extended linkage map of the American mink (Neovison vison) consisting of 157 microsatellite markers and comprising at least one linkage group for each of the autosomes. Each linkage group has been assigned to a chromosome and oriented by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and/or by means of human/dog/mink comparative homology. The average interval between markers is 8.5 cM and the linkage groups collectively span 1340 cM. In addition, 217 and 275 mink microsatellites have been placed on human and dog genomes, respectively. In conjunction with the existing comparative human/dog/mink data, these assignments represent useful virtual maps for the American mink genome. Comparison of the current human/dog assembled sequential map with the existing Zoo-FISH-based human/dog/mink maps helped to refine the human/dog/mink comparative map. Furthermore, comparison of the human and dog genome assemblies revealed a number of large synteny blocks, some of which are corroborated by data from the mink linkage map.

Albinism in the American mink (Neovison vison) is associated with a tyrosinase nonsense mutation.

Albino phenotypes are documented in various species including the American mink. In other species the albino phenotypes are associated with tyrosinase (TYR) gene mutations; therefore TYR was considered the candidate gene for albinism in mink. Four microsatellite markers were chosen in the predicted region of the TYR gene. Genotypes at the markers Mvi6025 and Mvi6034 were found to be associated with the albino phenotype within an extended half-sib family. A BAC clone containing Mvi6034 was mapped to chromosome 7q1.1-q1.3 by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Subsequent analysis of genomic TYR sequences from wild-type and albino mink samples identified a nonsense mutation in exon 1, which converts a TGT codon encoding cysteine to a TGA stop codon (c.138T>A, p.C46X; EU627590). The mutation truncates more than 90% of the normal gene product including the putative catalytic domains. The results indicate that the nonsense mutation is responsible for the albino phenotype in the American mink.

The first linkage map of the American mink (Mustela vison).

Described herein, the first microsatellite linkage map for the American mink consists of 85 microsatellite markers resolved into 17 linkage groups. The map was constructed using 92 F(1) progeny from five sire families created by crossing mink with different colour types. The linkage groups ranged from 0 to 137 cM. These linkage groups were assigned to 12 of the 14 mink autosomes using a somatic cell hybrid panel. The total map covered 690 sex-averaged Kosambi units with an average marker spacing of 8 cM. This map will facilitate further genetic mapping of monogenic characters and QTL.

Mapping of the silver gene in mink and its association with the dilution gene in dog.

In mink, recessive and dominant genes carry standard colors from generation to generation but breeding and cross breeding of naturally occurring mutations (color changes) has resulted in farmed animals bearing colors that do not exist in nature. The silver blue color type is one of the most used recessive mutations within mink fur farming being part of some of the popular color types which combine more recessive mutations. We report here the mapping of the 'silver' gene on MVI3 by means of the first linkage genetic map in the American mink (Mustela vison). A Canis familiaris BAC clone containing the melanophilin gene (which generates 'silver-like' phenotype in dog) was in situ cross-hybridized onto the mink chromosomes and the result strongly supports the linkage data. Therefore the silver phenotype in the American mink presumably involves the melanophilin gene (MLPH).

A test of mink microsatellite markers in the ferret: amplification and sequence comparisons.

Short tandem repeats are a source of highly polymorphic markers in mammalian genomes. Genetic variation at these hypervariable loci is extensively used for linkage analysis and to identify individuals, and is very useful for interpopulation and interspecies studies. Fifty-nine microsatellite markers from American mink were tested in the ferret, under the same conditions as for the mink. Of the 59, 43 of them (73.5%) amplified a ferret sequence; 5 amplification products differed in size from the respective mink sequences. Ten amplified fragments from ferret were sequenced. The sequences that were identical in size to those from mink displayed a high degree of conservation, with some differences at the repeat motif sites. These results could aid cross-utilization of markers between these two species.

FISH mapping and sequence analysis of 87 porcine BAC clones.

Ninety-one bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) clones, selected effectively at random from our library, were used as probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization. Of these, 87 clones gave a specific signal in one, two or three different pair(s) of swine metaphase chromosomes. The ends of 35 BAC clones were sequenced in order to obtain information for comparative mapping. Fifteen of them gave useful comparative mapping information.