A cis-regulatory variant in ASIP causes gray coat color in the donkey

BackgroundGray is one of the relatively rare coat colors in donkeys. The Hetian Gray donkey is a distinctive indigenous breed from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of Northwestern China, characterized by progressive hair depigmentation with aging while retaining dark skin pigmentation. However, the genetic basis underlying this unique gray coat color phenotype remains unclear. ResultsTo elucidate the genetic basis, we conducted whole-genome resequencing of Gray and non-Gray donkeys. Genome-wide selection signature analyses identified a candidate region on chromosome 15. Subsequent fine-mapping using mass spectrometry-based genotyping of 42 loci refined the candidate interval and revealed a SNP within intron 2 of the ASIP gene, located in a genomic fragment with highly similar sequences, showing complete association with the gray coat color. Association analysis in an expanded population further confirmed a strong correlation between this variant and the gray phenotype. Gene expression analyses also supported the role of ASIP in regulating pigmentation in donkeys. ConclusionsThese findings identify a genetic determinant of gray coat color in donkeys and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying age-related depigmentation in domestic animals.