title: The mouse ruby-eye 2(d) (ru2(d) /Hps5(ru2-d) ) allele inhibits eumelanin but not pheomelanin synthesis.
abstract: The novel mutation named ru2(d) /Hps5(ru2-d) , characterized by light-colored coats and ruby-eyes, prohibits differentiation of melanocytes by inhibiting tyrosinase (Tyr) activity, expression of Tyr, Tyr-related protein 1 (Tyrp1), Tyrp2, and Kit. However, it is not known whether the ru2(d) allele affects pheomelanin synthesis in recessive yellow (e/Mc1r(e) ) or in pheomelanic stage in agouti (A) mice. In this study, effects of the ru2(d) allele on pheomelanin synthesis were investigated by chemical analysis of melanin present in dorsal hairs of 5-week-old mice from F2 generation between C57BL/10JHir (B10)-co-isogenic ruby-eye 2(d) and B10-congenic recessive yellow or agouti. Eumelanin content was decreased in ruby-eye 2(d) and ruby-eye 2(d) agouti mice, whereas pheomelanin content in ruby-eye 2(d) recessive yellow and ruby-eye 2(d) agouti mice did not differ from the corresponding Ru2(d) /- mice, suggesting that the ru2(d) allele inhibits eumelanin but not pheomelanin synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Restoration Support Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan. thirobe@nirs.go.jp
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirobe
authors.forename: Shosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D005808:Genes, Recessive / Q000235:genetics; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins; D011506:Proteins; C018362:pheomelanin; C570393:ruby-eye 2 protein, mouse; C041877:eumelanin
keywords: Eumelanin; Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome; Melanocyte; Pheomelanin; ruby-eye