Discovery and genetic analysis of blue-eyed mutant in the white rex rabbits

Abstract

Using cross, backcross, and full-sib mating experiments, allelism test was conducted to study the genetic mechanism of blue-eyed mutant of the white rex rabbits originated from the F1 generation from the cross American White rex rabbits(♂) × Chinchilla meat rabbits(♀). The study showed that the reason for the blue-eyed mutant of the white rex rabbits was a recessive mutation in Vienna locus. When the V locus was homozygous for the recessive v gene, it was recessive epistatic to other loci (including A, B, C, D, and E), which also controlled the coat color. Regardless of the genotypes in other gene loci, the rabbits appeared blue eyes and white coat color as long as the genotype vv occurred at the Vienna locus. Thus, the combination of genotype vv and genotype rr will produce the blue-eyed and the white rex rabbits. As the blue-eyed mutant of the white rex rabbits is a new finding in China's rabbit breeding program, it is significant to explain the genetic mechanism of the blue-eyed mutant for the breeding and production of rex rabbits.