Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee

We conducted surveys of mutant allele frequencies of four cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee during 2002. Our calculations and analyses support that Southwestern cat populations were relatively more genetically similar to each other than compared to cat populations in other areas of North America. However, the cat population of Fort Smith is slightly different from the other cat populations studied in the Southwestern United States. Although there is a clear significant spatial geographic pattern for many mutant coat allele frequencies in the United States and Canada cat populations (d, l, S, and W), our results revealed that there is not a significant isolation-by-distance model affecting these cat populations. Our data also support the historical migration hypothesis because our calculated allele frequencies were genetically similar to cat populations located in ancestral areas of Europe. Different phenograms, including new European cat genetic profiles, showed that the Southwestern cat populations studied are of a clear British origin. Therefore, migration routes of early Arkansas and Tennessee settlers help explain the similarities of allele frequencies among domestic cat populations.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations of Macedonia (Yugoslavia)

Three domestic cat populations from Yugoslavia (Bitola, Ohrid, Struga) were surveyed at six colour loci (orange, non agouti, tabby, dilute, piebald spotting, dominant white) and one coat length locus (long hair, allele l). Statistically significant differences were obtained in frequencies of alleles: O, a, l and W. Human preferences and cultural contacts with other countries especially Turkey are discussed in the paper. Genetic distance analysis did not show that Macedonian populations are more similar to Turkish or Greek ones than populations from Dalmatia, where Turkish influence was absent, although there are similarities between Macedonian and Turkish populations as far as the O allele is concerned. There was a statistically significant correlation between the duration of Turkish rule in the middle and eastern part of the Mediterranean and O and l alleles frequencies.     

Pelage mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations of Poland

To determine mutant allele frequencies, surveys of coat phenotypes of the domestic cat (Felis catus L.) were conducted from October 1982 to June 1985 in 23 urban and rural populations of Poland (N = 67-278). The seven gene loci studied included: sex-linked orange (O), agouti (A), tabby (T), full-color expression (D), long hair (L), piebald spotting (S), and dominant white (W). The mutant allele frequencies at these loci are: p(O) = 0-0.139, q(a) = 0.487-0.774, p(Ta) = 0, q(tb) = 0.132-0.451, q(d) = 0-0.332, q(l) = 0-0.220, p(S) = 0.242-0.620, and p(W) = 0. The coefficients of darkness estimated ranged from 0.51 to 0.75, showing no statistically significant differences between urban and rural populations. Of the gene loci studied, only A and S show such differences, with the incidence of alleles a and S being, respectively, significantly higher and lower for urban areas. The relatively great amount of genetic heterogeneity in the cat populations of Poland seems to reflect historical determinants. The Polish data are compared to those from Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, and geographic patterns in distribution for all of the mutant alleles studied are described.     

Mutant allele frequencies and genetic distance relationships in domestic cat populations of lower Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean

Summary Gene frequency surveys conducted in Alexandria and Cairo reveal genetic profiles which are extensions of those that characterize the cat populations of European cities. For nine selected comparisons with Alexandria, regression analysis indicates that a linear function best describes the relationship between Nei's and Cavalli-Sforza's genetic distance indices and geographic distance.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in Catalonia,Spain, and their genetic relationships with Spanish and English colonial cat populations

Two Catalan cat populations (Spain) were analyzed. The genetic profiles of these Catalan populations are very homogeneous. The low q (t ^b) values are the most outstanding factor. These populations and two British cat populations were compared with different colonial settlement cat populations. A close genetic relationship was found between Catalan populations and those of California, Texas, Colorado, Mexico and the North of South America (Caracas and Willemstad (Curaçao)).     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations on the Spanish Mediterranean coast,and their genetic distances from other European and North African cat populations

New genetic profiles of domestic cat populations were studied in different parts of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The t ^b frequency is the most outstanding differentiated factor between the populations analyzed. The low t ^b frequencies found in Barcelona and other Catalan localities are the most important characteristic of these populations and, probably, find an explanation in the extraordinarily high historical and commercial relationships between Barcelona and the Eastern Mediterranean (Greece, especially) during the 14th and 15th centuries. In other Spanish Mediterranean littoral cities the t ^b frequencies reach higher values and are more similar to those found in other Western European cat populations. Significant differences found in certain allelic frequencies (Orange and Blotched) caused by the urban-rural effect are discovered between Barcelona and two nearby rural cat populations.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cats of Taiwan

Preliminary data for Taiwanese cats generally agree with previous findings in far eastern populations, especially Vladivostok. However, surveys are still too few in number to achieve any detailed perspective for this vast region.     

Mutant allele frequencies in the cat population of Omaha, Nebraska

The phenotypes of 256 cats seen in Omaha, Nebraska, during the summer of 1983 were recorded and compared to those of other midcontinental USA cat populations. When cats that were "pure-bred," or derived from pure breeds, were excluded, random breeding at the O locus was confirmed and mutant allele frequencies were: O = 0.352, a = 0.813, tb = 0.354, d = 0.525, I = 0.369, S = 0.197, and W = 0.039. Siamese and Himalayan cats constituted 10.9 percent of the total sample (cs = 0.342), but analysis suggests that they are not randomly mating with the general population. Mutant allele frequencies of Omaha cats are more similar to those of cats in Champaign, Illinois, than to those of St. Louis, suggesting that an overland route was more important than a river route in founding the Omaha cat population.     

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cats of Portugal and the Azores

The genetic profiles of cat populations of mainland Portugal are basically similar to those of the adjacent Atlantic littoral. The profiles of Azorean populations, while relatively homogeneous among themselves, are strikingly different from the mainland. It is tentatively concluded that some form of selective migration was the most important contributing factor in establishing the differences.     

Mutant allele frequencies in the domestic cats of Turkey and Greece

The incidence of mutant phenotypes has been recorded in domestic cat populations of Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and Trabzon. From this information, allele frequencies have been estimated for seven loci. These data are compared to those from adjacent countries, particularly Greece and Cyprus, and clinal maps of the region are presented for three of the mutants.     

Coat color mutation frequencies in domestic cat populations of Primorskii krai, Russia

The frequencies of mutant coat color genes have been estimated in the cat populations of five settlements in Primorskii krai, Russia: two cities (Partizansk and Spassk-Dal'nii), a town (Khorol'), and two villages (Dmitrievka and Brovnichi). The genetic profiles of these populations have been found to be relatively homogenous and to correspond of the cat population of the city of Vladivostok studied earlier. No considerable differences in gene frequencies have been found between urban and rural cat populations. The data suggest a common origin of all domestic cat populations of Primorskii krai.     

Mutant allele frequencies in cats of Minneapolis-St. Paul

Coat color phenotype frequencies were determined in the cat population of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Mutant allele frequencies are estimated to be p (O) = 0.287, q(a) = 0.742, q(d) = 0.635, q(l) = 0.507, p(S) = 0.288. q(tb) = 0.472, p(W) = 0.016, and q(cs) = 0.214. A substantial number of cats displaying the Siamese coat pattern were found. These cats have a long history in the population.     

Estimation of allele frequencies in ethnically heterogeneous populations

A method for reconstructing allele frequencies characteristic of an original ethnically homogeneous population before the start of migration processes is described. Information on both the ethnic group studied and offspring of interethnic marriages is used to estimate the allele frequencies. This makes it possible to increase the informativeness of the sample, which, in the case of ethnic heterogeneity, depends not only on allele frequencies and the total sample size, but also on the ethnic structure of the sample. The problem of estimating allele frequency in an ethnically heterogeneous sample has been solved analytically for diallelic loci. It has been demonstrated that, if offspring of interethnic marriages with the same degree of outbreeding is added to a sample of the ethnic group studied, the sample informativeness does not change. To utilize the information contained in the phenotypes of the offspring of interethnic marriages, representatives of the population from which migration occurs should be included into the sample. The size of the sample ensuring the preassigned accuracy of estimation is minimized at a certain ratio between the numbers of the offspring of interethnic marriages and the "immigrants." To analyze polyallelic loci, a software package has been developed that allows estimating allele frequencies, determining the errors of these estimates, and planning the sample ensuring the preassigned accuracy of estimation. The package is available free at http://mga.bionet.bionet.nsc.ru/PopMixed/PopMixed.html.     

Gene frequencies in stray cat populations from Vienna

A sampling of 394 cets from Vienna was taken and the gene frequencies for different coat colour loci calculated. Randomness of breeding was tested by the Hardy-Weinberg distribution. A comparison of Viennese data with those of other city populations gives the impression that cat populations of Middle Europe have their own stable gene pool, which differs significantly from North-West Europe, America and Australia.     

Blue-eyed albino: A new albino allele in the domestic cat

A new albinistic allele in the cat is described and designated blue-eyed albino (symbol c ^a ). The coat is completely white. The eyes possess a dull red pupil in reduced light and a pale translucent blue iris. Reasons are given for regarding the allele as less extreme than complete albinism. The inheritance of three members of the albino series in the cat has now been reported. In decreasing order of dominance these are full colour (C), Burmese (c ^b ), Siamese (c ^s ) and blue-eyed albino (c ^a ).     

Temporal changes in allele frequencies in two reciprocally selected maize populations

The effects of breeding on allele frequency changes at 82 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) loci were examined in two maize (Zea mays L.) populations undergoing reciprocal recurrent selection, Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic and Iowa Corn Borer Synthetic #1. After 12 cycles of selection, approximately 30% of the alleles were extinct and 10% near fixation in each population. A test of selective neutrality identified several loci in each population whose allele frequency changes cannot be explained by genetic drift; interpopulation mean expected heterozygosity increased for that subset of 28 loci but not for the remaining 54 loci. Mean expected heterozygosity within the two subpopulations decreased 39%, while the between-population component of genetic variation increased from 0.5% to 33.4% of the total. Effective population size is a key parameter for discerning allele frequency changes due to genetic drift versus those resulting from selection and genetic hitchhiking. Empirical estimates of effective population size for each population were within the range predicted by the breeding method. Received: 10 June 1998 / Accepted: 29 April 1999