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Agouti : the prolific gene

Agouti : the  prolific gene coat colour in mammals comes high on the list of genetically encoded characters that have been studied in detail. The reason is, of course, that colouration is an extremely obvious trait. Because it is small and reproduces rapidly, the mouse has been a popular animal for such studies.

There are at least five major genes involved in the determination of coat colour in the mouse. The one most familiar to geneticists