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What’s so Special About Orange Cats? Turns Out They’re Freaks of Nature | News Channel 3-12

  • Scientists published a paper on May 15 in Current Biology identifying a unique DNA mutation responsible for orange cat coloration.
  • Researchers traced the mutation to a 5,076-base pair deletion on the X chromosome that likely occurred once during cat domestication.
  • This deletion activates the gene Arhgap36 in pigment cells, which blocks black pigment production and produces orange instead.
  • Lead author Christopher Kaelin called it "a really unusual type of mutation" found in all orange cats over broad regions, suggesting singular origin.
  • The findings could aid tracing feline evolution, and scientists aim to understand why this mutation is so rare and if similar mechanisms occur elsewhere.
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What’s so special about orange cats? Turns out they’re freaks of nature

Researchers identified an unusual genetic mutation in orange domestic cats that has not been found in any other animal, according to a new study.

·Atlanta, United States
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petsradar.com broke the news in on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
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