Why do some dogs develop a brindle coat pattern with black and yellow stripes? Together with Prof. Dr. Greg Barsh and Dr. Chris Kaelin from Stanford University, we investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this striking coat pattern.
Although all cells of a brindle dog contain the same DNA sequence, skin cells differ in the way they activate or silence genes. These differences are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene activity in specific regions of the skin. This process gives rise to the characteristic black and yellow stripes.
Previous research has shown that a large structural variant in the genome of brindle dogs influences the epigenetic regulation of neighboring groups of cells. The resulting differences in gene activity become directly visible in the coat color and determine whether a particular area of the skin produces black or yellow hair.
With this research project, we aim to better understand how structural variants in the genome influence epigenetic regulation and thereby contribute to the development of complex coat patterns.
