Understanding the Translucent Gene

[DeweysMom]

I just looked at an ad for a male leatherback baby. He's a translucent leatherback and it's listing his dad as a hypo trans normal and his mom is 100% het hypo/trans leather. They both carry the trans gene so does this mean this is a bad pairing? I'm not thinking of purchasing this baby. I'm not ready for one and I don't want a translucent for two. It just caught my eye that the parents both have trans genes.

 

[Claudiusx]

That is the only real way for a trans baby to be produced safely.

Since the dad is a trans, and the mom is a het. trans, there is a chance of some of the babies being trans, some of the babies being het trans, and some of the babies being neither.

Trans is a recessive trait, so it won't be passed on to the babies unless both parents have it in some form or another.

-Brandon

 

[DeweysMom]

OK, I think I've got it now. So if they both displayed the trans gene that's when it would be bad to breed them correct? I thought as long as one parent had the trans gene it could get passed down. I don't know why I'm struggling so much on this one.

Now as far as this particular breeding, where the parents are both hypo, is that like a double whammy in terms of possible defects? I know issues have been seen with hypos AND with trans. So if this is a double whammy, why would one want to breed them?

 

[Claudiusx]

So if they both displayed the trans gene that's when it would be bad to breed them correct?

Correct :mrgreen:

I thought as long as one parent had the trans gene it could get passed down.

That would only be the case if the gene in question was a dominant gene. In the world of genes there is dominant, and their is recessive. The trans gene (or mutation) is a recessive gene, which to put it in more simple terms, it needs more help to show itself as apposed to a dominant gene.

Lets make up a gene, and call it the brandon gene. The brandon gene is dominant. This means that it doesn't really need help in showing itself. So if a Brandon mated with a normal dragon, the result would be some normals, some brandons, and some het. brandons

But, lets make the brandon gene recessive. If the brandon gene mates with a normal, all the dragons will be normal. None of the dragons will show the brandon gene, none of them will even carry it.

If the brandon gene was recessive, the only way it could be passed down to the babies is if both parents carried it in some form. Whether that be a brandon X Het. brandon, or a brandon X brandon.

Now as far as this particular breeding, where the parents are both hypo, is that like a double whammy in terms of possible defects?

Not necessarily. Hypo isn't really known to cause problems. While I do agree the trans gene is a mutation, I wouldn't categorize the hypo gene in that same class.
Hypo is also recessive, like translucent. So for there to be any hypo babies, both parents need to be carrying it. Unlike with trans though, a Hypo X Hypo pairing won't lead to serious birth issues. It will just lead to a higher concentration of hatchlings being hypo or Het. Hypo. It won't make a hypo more of a hypo.

I hope this helps. :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[Esther19]

I sense another sticky in the making. :mrgreen:

 

[DeweysMom]

Brandon, it's far to early for my slow brain to comprehend what you're saying here. I haven't had breakfast yet. BUT, I had to say you started my day off on the right foot. I could not stop chuckling over your "Brandon gene". LOL

I'll come back to this one a bit later. Thanks for spelling it out. I love science and animals, but the whole "technical science" thing was always over my head.

 

[Claudiusx]

Yeah I realized it was a little egotistic after I wrote brandon for the 50th time... haha. :mrgreen:

-Brandon

 

[mortitia]

I don't understand the whole 'gene' thing. But if you were to mate 'ordinary dragon' with 'ordinary dragon' would you get 'ordinary dragon' babies?

And colours, how do these fit in?

Marie x

 

[Claudiusx]

Yes you would.

Colors are a trait, not really a gene. They do get passed down, but they are solely based off of the parents.

So if your two mating dragons were both red, chances are all or most of your babies would come out red.

-Brandon

 

[Reptiles4Life]

what do you get if you breed a sunburst and a citrus leather back with translucent bearded dragon.

 

[Gepard]

Any trait comes across from genes. It just depends if the traits come from the same gene section. It's easier to understand genetics using letters.
Dominant is X and recessive is x
Dominant shows when there is XX or
Xx (one gene from each parent) this is Het (Heterozygous)
Recessive only shows when it's xx

Since trans is recessive it would only show if the other dragon had the recessive gene. The trans is a lack of dark pigment so it's going to make lighter colors pop more. Leatherback is usually dominant if it's caused by certain genes. I've read about different lines that are from different genes

 

[Reptiles4Life]

ok thanks so much