IC Locus (Improper Coat/Furnishings)

Other Names: furnishings, improper coat, Wh locus, wire hair trait, wirehaired trait
Affected Genes: RSPO2
Inheritance: Autosomal Recessive (Improper Coat); Autosomal Dominant (Furnishings)
Mutation: chr13:8610419-8610420 (canFam3): 167 bp insertion
Breed(s): All Breeds
View Coat Color Diagram

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Testing Summary

The IC Locus (Improper coat/Furnishings) trait test reliably determines if a dog has one of the following genotypes at the IC locus:

F/F

This dog does not carry the Mutation for weak furnishings or improper coat and will therefore have furnishings (proper coat). However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass F (furnishings, proper coat) to 100% of its offspring.

Interpretation: Furnishings

F/Fw

This dog does not carry the mutation for improper coat and will have furnishings (proper coat). However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass Fw (weak furnishings) to 50% of its offspring and F (furnishings, proper coat) to 50% of its offspring. Therefore, this dog can produce puppies with weak furnishings if bred with a dog that carries one copy (F/Fw) or two copies (Fw/Fw) of the mutation for weak furnishings.

Interpretation: Furnishings (weak furnishings Carrier)

F/IC

This dog carries one copy of the mutation for improper coat (IC) and one copy of F and will therefore have furnishings (proper coat). This dog does not carry the mutation for weak furnishings. However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass IC (improper coat) to 50% of its offspring and F (furnishings, proper coat) to 50% of its offspring. Therefore, this dog can produce puppies with improper coat if bred with a dog that carries one copy (F/IC) or two copies (IC/IC) of the mutation for improper coat.

Interpretation: Furnishings (improper coat carrier)

Fw/Fw

This dog does not carry the mutations for full furnishings or improper coat and will therefore have weak furnishings. However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass Fw (weak furnishings) to 100% of its offspring.

Interpretation: Weak Furnishings

Fw/IC

This dog carries one copy of the mutation for improper coat (IC) and one copy of Fw and will therefore have weak furnishings. However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass IC (improper coat) to 50% of its offspring and Fw (weak furnishings) to 50% of its offspring. Therefore, this dog can produce puppies with improper coat if bred with a dog that carries one or two copies of the mutation for improper coat (IC).

Interpretation: Weak Furnishings (improper coat carrier)

IC/IC

This dog carries two copies of IC and will therefore have no furnishings (improper coat). This dog does not carry the mutation for weak furnishings. However, the overall coat type of this dog is dependent on the combination of this dog's genotypes at the L, Cu, and IC loci. This dog will pass IC (improper coat) to 100% of its offspring and can produce puppies with improper coat if bred with a dog that carries one or two copies of the mutation for improper coat.

Interpretation: No Furnishings, improper coat

Detailed Summary

The improper coat/furnishings (IC) Locus determines if a dog will have longer hair around the muzzle and eyebrows (facial furnishings) or a lack of furnishings (called improper coat in breeds for which facial furnishings are standard). A DNA variant in the RSPO2 gene, which functions in hair follicle development, results in the production of furnishings in multiple breeds and is found in all wire-haired dogs. A third variant at the IC locus has been identified and associated with “weak” furnishings that develop gradually into sparse and much less pronounced furnishings.

Testing Tips

Genetic testing of the IC Locus for the three RSPO2 gene variants will reliably determine whether a dog has furnishings, weak furnishings, or improper coat and whether or not a dog with furnishings is a Carrier of weak furnishings or improper coat. The three variants of the IC Locus are inherited in a hierarchical order of autosomal dominance. Facial furnishings is dominant to weak furnishings, which is dominant to improper coat (F > Fw > IC). This means that only one copy of the RSPO2 furnishings (F) variant is required to produce furnishings. Likewise, one copy of the weak furnishings (Fw) variant in the presence of one copy of improper coat (IC) produces “weak” furnishings. Improper coat is, therefore, recessive to furnishings and weak furnishings, meaning two copies of IC are required to inherit an improper coat. Dogs with furnishings can be carriers of weak furnishings or improper coat that can be passed on to their offspring.

There may be other causes of this condition in dogs and a normal result does not exclude a different mutation in this gene or any other gene that may result in a similar genetic disease or trait.

References

  • Cadieu E, Neff MW, Quignon P, Walsh K, Chase K, Parker HG, VonHoldt BM, Rhue A, Boyko A, Byers A, Wong A, Mosher DS, Elkahloun AG, Spady TC, Andre C, Lark KG, Cargill M, Bustamante CD, Wayne RK, Ostrander EA. Coat variation in the domestic dog is governed by variants in three genes. Science. 2009 Oct; 326(5949):150-3. [PubMed: 19713490]