The term \"Calico cat\" refers not to a breed of cat, but rather an unusual coat

Question

The term "Calico cat" refers not to a breed of cat, but rather an unusual coat color pattern. These cats are predominantly white, with patches of two other colors, often orange and black. They are also almost always female. However, while job shadowing a veterinarian, you examine a calico cat and discover that it is male! Based on what you've learned about X-linked traits, dosage compensation, and chromosome behavior, as well as any research you do, explain the typical inheritance of the calico coat pattern in cats, and propose a possible explanation for how a calico cat can possibly be male.

Explanation / Answer

Calico cats have a gene on X chromosome which is responsible for orange/non orange coloring. There are alleles of gene which will be responsive for inhibition of orange color expression. In those cases the color will be white. In case of male cat there will be X and Y chromosome, Y chromosome will be responsible for gender only It will have no impact over color expression. There is less probability of color expression of orange and non orange color.   Few of the cases have found the extra X chromosome because of exceptional cell division. That condition is known as klinefelter syndrome. Those will produce the calico marking on male. This type of inheritance character in cats because of X gene is known as the X-Linked inheritance.

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