Scientists Unravel 60-Year Mystery of Orange Cat Fur

After 60 years of research, geneticists have identified the gene responsible for the orange coloration in domestic cats. The gene, Arhgap36, is located on the X chromosome and is linked to a 5 kilobase deletion in a non-protein-coding region, leading to its overexpression in orange fur cells. This mutation explains the sex-linked pattern of orange fur, with most orange cats being male and females often displaying calico or tortoiseshell patterns. The findings, from two independent studies, are published on bioRxiv.