New Morph - weird genetics

Hi,

There is this new mutation in Holand, the Stranger. The original snake is a clown but isn't visually a stranger herself. However, this female consistently produces strangers and so does her offspring. She has been paired to unrelated males and also to her offspring, always producing the new morph. She produces the new morph but does not show it herself. How can this be explained?

More details in the breeders website: http://www.ires-reptiles.com/the-bal...nger-gene.html ... -gene.html

But the solution could be as simple as the mutation occurred in the line of cells that gave rise to her gametes, not the cells that gave rise to her body. It is also possible that the gene is incompletely expressed in her, and completely expressed in her offspring. This can happen with mutations that have codon repeats in them. The repeats seem to increase from generation to generation and only become apparent when they reach a certain level.

David

Here is the link again: http://www.ires-reptiles.com/the-bal...nger-gene.html

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

But the solution could be as simple as the mutation occurred in the line of cells that gave rise to her gametes, not the cells that gave rise to her body.

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I think that would explain it if she produced 1 individual with the new morph. But she has been producing offspring with the new morph for 3 consecutive years.

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

It is also possible that the gene is incompletely expressed in her, and completely expressed in her offspring. This can happen with mutations that have codon repeats in them. The repeats seem to increase from generation to generation and only become apparent when they reach a certain level.

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Do you know where I could read more about that? Thanks

All the gametes a female makes come from one cell initially. So every gamete she has could potentially have the gene depending on how the genes sort out during division of the cells to produce eggs. She could keep throwing strangers for a long time, if the mutation started deep down in the stem of that cell line.

Codon repeats are pretty common in genetic diseases. Huntington's chorea would be one of them. Normal parents start having afflicted children, because the gene stutter gets worse. http://wwwchem.csustan.edu/chem4400/SJBR/lisa.pdf

Keep in mind these are guesses on my part. I have a background in biology, but have never studied the genetics of ball pythons or this trait. These are possibilities, but it could be something else entirely.

David

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

All the gametes a female makes come from one cell initially. So every gamete she has could potentially have the gene depending on how the genes sort out during division of the cells to produce eggs. She could keep throwing strangers for a long time, if the mutation started deep down in the stem of that cell line.

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I see. Just like a human female baby is already born with all the egg cells that will mature later, if a mutation happens in a percursor cell, the individual could produce offspring with the mutation for the rest of her fertile life.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

Codon repeats are pretty common in genetic diseases. Huntington's chorea would be one of them. Normal parents start having afflicted children, because the gene stutter gets worse. http://wwwchem.csustan.edu/chem4400/SJBR/lisa.pdf

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Thanks. I'll look into this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

Keep in mind these are guesses on my part. I have a background in biology, but have never studied the genetics of ball pythons or this trait. These are possibilities, but it could be something else entirely.

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A plausible guess.

I'd be willing to bet the original male has YB somewhere in it's lineage of breedings and was just missed labeled as a butter pastel instead of a butter pastel yb. The two females seem like they are carrying the gravel gene (or one like it).

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Originally Posted by nickmetherd

I'd be willing to bet the original male has YB somewhere in it's lineage of breedings and was just missed labeled as a butter pastel instead of a butter pastel yb.

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The original was a female. What male do you mean?

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Originally Posted by nickmetherd

The two females seem like they are carrying the gravel gene (or one like it).

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Which females?