Abstract
By amplifying the melanocortin type 1 receptor from the woolly mammoth, we can report the complete nucleotide sequence of a nuclear-encoded gene from an extinct species. We found two alleles and show that one allele produces a functional protein whereas the other one encodes a protein with strongly reduced activity. This finding suggests that mammoths may have been polymorphic in coat color, with both dark- and light-haired individuals co-occurring.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Alleles
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Amino Acid Substitution
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Animals
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Cell Nucleus / genetics
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Elephants / genetics*
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Genotype
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Hair Color / genetics*
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Hair*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation
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Phenotype
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Pigmentation / genetics*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Polymorphism, Genetic*
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Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
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Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / chemistry
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Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / genetics*
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Transfection
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alpha-MSH / analogs & derivatives
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alpha-MSH / metabolism
Substances
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Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1
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alpha-MSH
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MSH, 4-Nle-7-Phe-alpha-
Associated data
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GENBANK/DQ648859
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GENBANK/DQ648860
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GENBANK/DQ648861
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GENBANK/DQ648862
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GENBANK/DQ648863
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GENBANK/DQ648864
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GENBANK/DQ648865
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GENBANK/DQ648866