Nature article on gaited horses

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vineyridge
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Nature article on gaited horses

Postby vineyridge » Thu Aug 30, 2012 5:14 pm

It's quite fascinating. The researchers did a genetic study and found that one mutated gene that is a recessive in one location causes horses not to trot. It's not a whole gene complex. Just one gene in one place. If that one gene has such a huge influence, think of what other single gene traits there are to find.

http://www.nature.com/news/horse-gait-t ... on-1.11308

We certainly are learning a lot about what makes horses tick.
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Postby xfactor fan » Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:52 am

Huh.

They may have found the gene for pacing. Not the gene for lateral gates. I'd like to see the original paper, not the summary. Sometimes the science writers don't get it exactly right.

There are prehistoric trackways showing lateral gaits in very early equines.

vineyridge
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Postby vineyridge » Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:40 pm

Maybe someone here with academic access could send us the paper, which, one assumes, is in the most recent Nature journal.
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Pan Zareta
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Postby Pan Zareta » Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:16 pm


vineyridge
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Postby vineyridge » Fri Aug 31, 2012 5:20 pm

And very interesting indeed.

Thank you for the cite, PZ.
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