Question

Tortoise shell cats, like the one shown above, are always female. What scientific phenomenon explains the color pattern of this cat? A) Random X inactivation B) Acetylation of the SRY gene C) Alternate splicing of exons D) Chromosomal deletion of regions of the X chromosome

Answer 1

Random X inactivation The random coloration pattern arises from the fact that female mammals have two X chromosomes and the orange and black colors are located on the X chromosome. In female mammals, one X chromosome is inactivated in each somatic cell, but the pattern is random. This means that the color pattern during embryonic development will be a mixture of orange and black. (USATESTPREP answer and explanation)