Genetic Testing/Mapping?

After reading several threads and seeing the back and forth about desert females, I was wondering if anyone has looked into having the genetics of bp's mapped to see what might be causing the issues with desert and even caramels (kinking)? I realize this would take special equipment in a lab somewhere, but why hasn't this been done yet? If it has, I'd love to see the results to see where those genes fall. It would also be a neat way to find new morphs from all the 'dinkers' out there.

The reason this has not been done is because while this hobby is very important and special to us, to the rest of the world it's a niche obsession.

Wonder what something like this would cost to get done

We did it with cats back when I was still breeding and after getting a researcher at Cornell to go along with the project, it was basically free for us to send in hair samples. As for being a niche hobby (which I agree on) so was breeding strange tailed cats (Japanese bobtails and manx). The catch would be to get someone with the lab capabilities and an interest in herps to take on the project. If no one has done this before, I'd like to start contacting some of the veterinary schools to see if any have herp projects going. You'd be amazed at some of the stuff that gets researched simply because it strikes a cord with someone. I spent two years at Missouri's vet school and watched a geneticist make piglets that glowed so genetic testing on snakes shouldn't be too far out there. ;)
Along with that, I'd need breeders with some of the in question morphs to go along with it since I have a feeling that with snakes, it might require blood samples since it's a little hard to pull out a tuft of hair. A mouth swab might do it as well...

With the amount of money being spent within our niche I wouldn't doubt someone funding something like that but where is the fun in that?


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The problem is I don't think the DNA sequences have been mapped. You could get the test but without knowing what pair does what it is like having an answer but not knowing the question.

It's one thing knowing the DNA sequence, it's even harder determining which sequence composes genes and which is nonsense DNA (the vast vast majority), but it's another animal entirely trying to determine the function and mechanism of expression of genes. In most cases, this is not something you can send a DNA sample to a university or Vet school and have done quickly or cheaply. In some cases it can take many years and incredible amounts of money for a single gene.

They are trying to do this in China right now with mice. They are using hundreds of thousands of mice each with only a single different gene knocked out in hopes of understanding what that gene does. It is costing the Chinese government hundreds of millions of dollars and they are flying in top genetics PhDs from around the world. It's an incredible project but also gives an idea of what it takes.

I just want to see a simple genetic test for hets, really.