Specifying and sustaining pigmentation patterns in domestic and wild cats

Kaelin and colleagues uncovered the genetic and developmental basis of the tabby coat patterns that adorn domestic cats and their wild relatives. They identified the gene Taqpep, encoding a protease, as controlling whether cats display the ancestral narrow mackerel stripes or the broad, swirled blotched pattern, with mutations producing the blotched form. They further showed that another gene, Edn3, influences the establishment of dark versus light areas, helping to explain how the periodic patterns form and are maintained as the animal grows. Studying both house cats and the king cheetah's blotched markings, the work revealed conserved mechanisms generating mammalian coat patterns. The study illuminated the molecular logic behind one of the most recognizable features of cats and provided insight into how complex, large-scale colour patterns are specified during development.