# World's first striped pug



## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

So how crazy is this. I imagine if the they could isolate the traits for stripes could it be isolated for behavioral genes as well? Tri colored pugs!? WTF

http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com/2013/04/worlds-first-striped-pug.html

World's first striped pug
Jemima Harrison at 12:08 
Monday, April 1, 2013

Striped pug, anyone?










German scientists have succeeded in transplanting a key gene that codes for the zebra's stripes into a dog - to produce the world's first litter of striped pugs. The researchers say they have been inundated with requests to buy the transgenic animals, which will inevitably be a surefire hit with breeders and owners looking for something completely different.

It is the latest in a series of efforts to transplant genes into another species to dramatic effect, most famously the creation of mice that glow in the dark through the insertion of a gene that produces a protein that gives jellyfish a green fluorescence. The German researchers used the same technique to introduce the striping gene into pug embryos - a retrovirus, much like the one that causes AIDS, to deliver the gene into the cells and insert them into the dog genome.

The gene governs the switching on and off of melanocytes (pigment cells) - the process by which stripes are formed in the zebra.

The result was a litter of four pugs - two males, two females - now a year old and all with distinctive striping. Such is the demand for the animals that the team are repeating the experiment to help fund further research.

The pugs are, says lead researcher Frans Liebermop, genetically identical to any other pug, other than for the striping gene. And there may even be a real benefit to pugs who are well-known for overheating... the zebra's stripes are thought to help the animal regulate its temperature by dissipating heat more effectively than solid colours.

In response to the news, a Kennel Club spokesperson said: "Genetically, these are provably pugs. If the benefit to the offspring could be proved, we would certainly consider allowing the registration of striped pugs - we are always looking for ways to improve dog health."

But it's unlikely to go down well with the purists. A couple of weeks ago, there was uproar on dog forums when this ad appeared on Pets4Homes asking £10,000 for the world's first chocolate and tan pug. Chocolate and tan is not a recognised colourway in pugs. In that case, though, it was almost certainly introduced by crossbreeding with another toy breed.










The German team, based at the April Täuschen Institute in Frankfurt, says their research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal later this year.

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## MSK (Aug 13, 2008)

I literally just seen this article myself this morning. it's crazy to think what they are doing with genetics now a days.


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## BullHeaded (Dec 6, 2012)

I wouldnt agree to something like this, if it is meant for show dogs, as it obviously deviates from the normal breed design. However, it is pretty cool as a novelty, as long as it does not have any type of negative impact on the dogs health. Meaning, the only thing different between "this" and "that" dog, is strictly color only.


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## Odin`s_BlueDragon (Mar 11, 2012)

happy april fools?!


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

Odin's_BlueDragon said:


> happy april fools?!


That was my first instinct!


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

I was thinking april fools too lol.


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## Kait! (Sep 2, 2011)

Honestly, that picture looks 100% photoshopped.


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## Renzen (Sep 6, 2012)

Kait! said:


> Honestly, that picture looks 100% photoshopped.


And badly, at that.


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## davidandluna (Oct 18, 2012)

Haha come on guys the Institute located at April täuschen? As soon as I saw April I looked up the definition, clever way for then to slip that its a joke into the story itself, happy April fools!

Verb

täuschen (third-person singular simple present täuscht, past tense täuschte, auxiliary haben, past participle getäuscht)
1.(transitive) to deceive
2.(reflexive) to be wrong, to be mistaken
3.(reflexive) to err


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## MSK (Aug 13, 2008)

:hammer:Ha I realized after posting that it is April fools day I am on one big brain fart today figured the photo was photoshopped though doesn't look real.


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

LOL Bunch of Hoppla going around today!


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

Bahahahahahaha that's awesome. I was like WTF?!?!? lol
But is it REALLY an april fools joke? One do the comments says its a real study lol

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## Odin`s_BlueDragon (Mar 11, 2012)

yeah i googled "April Täuschen Institute" and knew this was fake, but i didnt want to spoil the fun


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## BullyGal (Jun 25, 2012)

Yeah, the second I saw the pic I knew it was photoshopped.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

BullyGal said:


> Yeah, the second I saw the pic I knew it was photoshopped.


See what happened when you are on your cellphone! lol can't see shit

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