Silver Genetics

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Silver Genetics 101

“ONE IS SILVER, ONE IS GOLD”

An Experiment about the Inhibitor Gene in Feline Genetics

By: Tatyana Kalani

John Adams Elementary School

4th Grade

INTRODUCTION AND QUESTION

What makes a cat silver or not?

What is genetics?

-the study of hereditary transmission of characteristics in organisms

What is a gene?

-a hereditary unit that occupies a location on a chromosome and has a specific influence on type, such as the color of your hair

How can you get a silver cat and can silver cats be male or female?

HYPOTHESIS

What is a hypothesis?

Something that I think will happen, an educated guess.

My hypothesis is:

There must be a silver parent for a cat to be silver. If you breed a brown and silver cat, you will get 50% silver kittens. Silver cats can be either male or female.

PROCEDURE

How will I test my hypothesis?

I am going to test my hypothesis by doing the following:

1. Learn and study the Punnett Square and create a table as it relates to the inhibitor gene affecting the cat’s color.

2. Look at the litters of kittens raised, comparing the colors of both parents and the colors of the kittens.

Record and review the data to reach a conclusion.

OBSERVATIONS AND DATA

Punnett Square

i = brown gene I = inhibitor (silver) gene

(The inhibitor gene blocks the color pigment making the cat silver.)

Parent Colors:

Brown/Brown

Results:

100% Brown Kittens

Parent Colors:

Brown/Silver

Results:

50% Silver Kittens

50% Brown Kittens

Parent Colors:

Silver/Silver

Results:

75% Silver Kittens(25% Homozygous)

25% Brown Kittens

Parent Colors: Homozygous Silver/Brown	i	i
I	Ii	Ii
I	Ii	Ii

Results:

100% Silver Kittens

Actual Results

Brown to Brown

Litter Date	Sire’s Name	Sire’s Color	Dam’s Name	Dam’s Color	Brown M	Kittens F	Silver M	Kittens F	Other M	Kittens F	Total
1/15/02	Topaz	Brown	Amber	Brown	-	2	-	-	-	-	2
8/2/02	Corey	Brown	Monika	Brown	3	-	-	-	1(Blue)	1(Blue)	5
3/15/03	Garth	Brown	Baby	Brown	-	4	-	-	1(Snow)	-	5
4/1/03	Garth	Brown	Raindrops	Brown	2	-	-	-	2(Snow)	1(Snow)	5
5/2/03	Garth	Brown	Safari	Brown	1	-	-	-	2(Snow)	1(Snow)	4
2/7/04	Ischiron	Brown	Spirit	Brown	2	1	-	-	-	-	3
2/23/04	Fireball	Brown	Lucy	Brown	3	2	-	-	-	-	5

Brown to Brown produced 100% Brown or Non-Silver Kittens.

Both male and female kittens were brown or non-silver.

Silver to Brown

Litter Date	Sire’s Name	Sire’s Color	Dam’s Name	Dam’s Color	Brown M	Kittens F	Silver M	Kittens F	Other M	Kittens F	Total
11/18/01	Splendor	Silver	Bernett	Brown	2	-	-	2	-	-	4
3/10/02	Splendor	Silver	Lace	Brown	1	1	-	1	-	-	3
3/12/02	Splendor	Silver	R ena	Brown	1	2	-	2	-	-	5
3/26/02	Splendor	Silver	Saka	Brown	-	1	4	-	-	-	5
4/20/02	Splendor	Silver	Dehleon	Brown	1	-	1	-	1(Gold)	-	3
7/15/02	Slate	Silver	Cosette	Brown	-	1	2	-	-	-	3
3/12/03	Slate	Silver	Sahara	Brown	1	2	1	1	-	-	5
4/24/03	Silverado	Silver	Monet	Brown	1	-	-	-	1(Smoke)	1(Smoke)	3
5/13/03	Matalica	Silver	Mirage	Brown	-	-	1	2	-	-	3
6/21/03	Splendor	Silver	Mary	Brown	1	1	1	1	-	-	4
8/21/03	Slate	Silver	Lace	Brown	-	2	-	3	-	-	5
8/27/03	Splendor	Silver	Katanga	Brown	-	2	2	3	-	-	7
12/2/03	Jean Luc	Silver	Sahara	Brown	-	1	2	2	1(Snow)	-	6
1/28/04	Silverado	Silver	Silk	Brown	-	2	-	1	3(Smoke)	-	6
2/05/04	Samurai	Silver	Katanga	Brown	1	2	2	2	-	-	7
2/09/04	S late	Silver	Tara	Brown	1	3		-	-	-	4
2/15/04	Samurai	Silver	Pearl	Brown	1	-	1	-	-	-	2

Silver to Brown produced 50% Silver and 50% Brown or Non-Silver.

Both male and female kittens were silver, brown, or non-silver.