Genetics of piebald patterning in domestic pigeons
The goal of this study is to identify the genetic basis of piebalding, a collection of plumage depigmentation phenotypes, in domestic pigeons. Piebald patterns are common in many vertebrate species, and are characterized by patches of pigmented and non-pigmented skin, hair, feathers, or scales. In some cases, piebalding-associated genetic variants have pleiotropic effects. The diverse array of breed-specific piebalding patterns in domestic pigeon provide an outstanding opportunity to identify genetic regulators that underlie regional loss of epidermal pigment.