Animal Molecular Breeding 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 165-177 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 174 et al., 2022) Additionally, while DNA sequencing can identify genetic variants, it does not provide information on the functional impact of these variants, which requires further experimental validation. 7.2 Emerging technologies and their potential impact Emerging technologies hold great promise for overcoming some of the limitations of current genetic studies. One such technology is whole-genome sequencing (WGS), which provides a comprehensive view of the genetic makeup of an organism. WGS can identify both common and rare variants, offering a more complete picture of the genetic factors influencing coat color (Chen et al., 2020). Additionally, advances in bioinformatics tools and computational power allow for more sophisticated analyses of these large datasets, potentially uncovering new genetic associations and interactions. Another promising technology is CRISPR-Cas9, a powerful tool for genome editing. CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to create targeted mutations in specific genes, allowing researchers to study their functional impact directly. This technology could be particularly useful for validating the roles of candidate genes identified in GWAS and sequencing studies (Fontanesi et al., 2013). For example, if a specific SNP in the MC1R gene is associated with a particular coat color, CRISPR-Cas9 could be used to introduce this SNP into a different genetic background to observe its effect. Epigenetic studies are also emerging as a crucial area of research. DNA methylation and histone modifications can influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Recent studies have begun to explore the role of epigenetics in coat color variations, revealing that DNA methylation patterns can differ significantly between rabbits with different coat colors (Chen et al., 2020). These findings suggest that epigenetic modifications could be an important regulatory mechanism in pigmentation, and further research in this area could provide new insights into the genetic control of coat color. 7.3 Areas for further research Several areas warrant further research to advance our understanding of coat color variations in domestic rabbits. One important area is the identification and functional characterization of additional genes involved in pigmentation. While genes like MC1R, MITF, and TYR have been well-studied, other genes and regulatory elements likely play significant roles in determining coat color. High-throughput sequencing technologies and functional genomics approaches, such as RNA sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), could be employed to identify these additional genetic factors (Fontanesi et al., 2006; Jia et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2023). Another area for further research is the study of gene-environment interactions. Coat color can be influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and light exposure, and understanding how these factors interact with genetic determinants could provide a more comprehensive understanding of pigmentation. For example, a study on wild rabbits in different climatic regions of Australia found significant changes in coat color over time, suggesting that environmental selection pressures can shape coat color variations. Additionally, more research is needed on the epigenetic regulation of coat color. Studies have shown that DNA methylation patterns can differ between rabbits with different coat colors, but the specific mechanisms by which these epigenetic modifications influence pigmentation are not yet fully understood (Zhang et al., 2023). Further research in this area could involve genome-wide methylation studies and the use of epigenetic editing tools to manipulate methylation patterns and observe their effects on coat color. Finally, there is a need for more comprehensive and diverse studies that include a wider range of rabbit breeds and populations. This would help to capture the full genetic diversity of domestic rabbits and provide more generalizable findings. Collaborative efforts and the establishment of large, multi-breed cohorts could facilitate such studies and lead to a deeper understanding of the genetic basis of coat color variations in domestic rabbits (Alves et al. , 2015; Utzeri et al., 2021; Li et al., 2022).
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