Recessive masking epistasis

In recessive masking epistasis, a homozygous recessive genotype will mask the expression of another
gene.

Example: Labrador Retriever coat colour

o Two genes involved, three possible phenotypes
B_E_ = black lab
bbE_ = chocolate lab
_ _ ee = yellow lab
o When homozygous ee present, coat colour will be yellow regardless of what the alleles on the
other gene are
o The homozygous ee genotype is epistatic to the coat colour B gene

Cross 1: BBEE x bbee

be

be

be

be

BE

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BE

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BE

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BE

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

BbEe

All offspring (100%) would be heterozygous for both traits and puppies would have a black coat.
Cross 2: BbEe x BbEe
BE

Be

bE

be

BE

BBEE

BBEe

BbEE

BbEe

Be

BBEe

BBee

BbEe

Bbee

bE

BbEE

BbEe

bbEE

bbEe

be

BbEe

Bbee

bbEe

bbee

9/16 puppies would be black

4/16 puppies would be yellow
3/16 puppies would be chocolate

Dominant masking epistasis

In dominant masking epistasis, the presence of at least one dominant allele in one gene (homozygous or
heterozygous) will mask the expression of another gene.

Example: Horse coat colour

o Two genes involved, three possible phenotypes
G_ _ _ = gray horse at maturity
gg_ _ = horse is not gray
ggE _ = black horse
ggee = chestnut horse
o When the dominant G allele is present, the horse will be gray at maturity because the
expression of this dominant allele is masking the phenotypic expression of the second gene.
When the genotype is homozygous, gg, the phenotype (coat colour) of the second gene can be
expressed, and the horse will not be gray
o The E genotype varies based on the dominant or recessive combination of alleles
o The dominant allele in the G genotype is epistatic to the E gene

Cross: GGEE x ggee

ge

ge

ge

Ge

GE

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GE

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GE

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GE

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

GgEe

All offspring (100%) would be heterozygous for both traits and all horses gray at maturity.
Cross: GgEe x GgEe
GE

Ge

gE

ge

GE

GGEE

GGEe

GgEE

GgEe

Ge

GGEe

GGee

GgEe

Ggee

gE

GgEE

GgEe

ggEE

ggEe

ge

GgEe

Ggee

ggEe

ggee

12 horses would be gray at maturity

3 horses would be black
1 horse would be chestnut

Modifying epistasis

In modifying epistasis, the expression of a gene at one locus (location) modifies or changes the expression
of the phenotype of another gene

Example: Doberman coat colour

o

o
o

Two genes involved, four possible phenotypes

B_D_ = black dog
bbD_ = red dog
B_dd = blue (faded black) dog
Bbdd = fawn (faded red) dog
When the D genotype is homozygous recessive, dd, it acts to modify the phenotypic expression
of the B gene by fading the colour, creating two new phenotypes.
The homozygous recessive D genotype is epistatic to the B gene.

Cross: BBDD x bbdd

bd

bd

bd

bd

BD

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BD

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BD

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BD

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

BbDd

All offspring (100%) would be heterozygous for both traits and would have a black coat.
Cross: BbDd x BbDd

BD

Bd

bD

bd

BD

BBDD

BBDd

BbDD

BbDd

Bd

BBDd

BBdd

BbDd

Bbdd

bD

BbDD

BdDd

bbDD

bbDd

bd

BbDd

Bbdd

bbDd

bbdd

9 dogs would be black

3 dogs would be red
3 dogs would be blue (faded black)
1 dog would be fawn (faded red)