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Appaloosa Coat Pattern and Night Blindness: The TRPM1 Gene and LP Locus
The appaloosa pattern (the spotted, blanket, and roaning phenotypes collectively associated with the Appaloosa breed and the LP locus) has a confirmed molecular basis in the TRPM1 gene. It is the only major horse coat pattern where the causal gene also produces a sensory deficit: horses homozygous for the leopard complex allele (LP/LP) are night-blind.…