Rabbit Genetics: The E Locus

There are 4 genes in the E Locus. The most dominant gene is "E(s)", the second dominant gene is "E", the third dominant gene is "e(j)", and the most recessive gene is "e".

~ Steel
"E(s)" is called the Steel gene. This gene can be homozygous for steel but, it can also carry recessive genes and be heterozygous. The steel gene creates the steel ticking that is seen in Silver Tipped and Gold Tipped steels. This gene does not create agouti markings. The coat is dark and some of the guard hairs are ticked with either Gold or Silver tipping. Some of the colors that have the steel gene are as follows:

Silver Tipped Steel (All - Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Sable, and Smoke Pearl) and Gold Tipped Steels (All - Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac).

The steel gene can carry Extension, Harlequin, and Non-Extension.

The steel gene is incompletely dominant. When it carries Harlequin there will be harlequin markings visible. When it carries Non-Extension it appears as a black. The non-extension gene makes the rabbit look like a black but, in reality it is a steel. If this gene is homozygous for steel then the rabbit will look black. The best steel color is created when it carries Extension.

~ Full Extension (Extension)
"E" is called the Full Extension or the Extension gene. This gene can be homozygous for extension but, it can also be heterozygous. It cannot carry Steel as no recessive gene can carry a dominant gene. Most colors have this gene. Some of the colors that have this gene are as follows:

Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Chestnut Agouti, Castor, Sandy, Opal, Otter, Silver Marten, Lynx, Chocolate Chestnut Agouti, and Cinnamon.

The extension gene can carry Japanese and Non-Extension.

It is incompletely dominant to the Japanese gene. When it carries the Japanese gene harlequin markings are visible (sometimes).

~ Japanese
"e(j)" is called the Japanese gene. This gene can be homozygous but, it can also be heterozygous. This gene makes the orange and the color (black, blue, chocolate, or lilac) separate onto different hairs and into bands. Some of the colors that have this gene are as follows:

Tri Colors (Black/Orange, Blue/Fawn, Chocolate/Orange, and Lilac/Fawn), Japanese Harlequins (Black, Blue, Chocolate, and Lilac), and Magpie Harlequins (black, blue, chocolate, and lilac).

The Japanese gene can carry the non-extension gene.

~ Non-Extension
"e" is called the Non-Extension gene. This gene has to be homozygous for non-extension. It cannot carry any other gene as a recessive gene cannot carry a gene dominant to it. This gene reduces the amount of color that is seen in the coat. The color it reduces is black, blue, chocolate, lilac, seal, sable, or smoke pearl. Some of the colors that have this gene are as follows:

Frosted Pearl, Orange, Red, Fawn, Cream, Tortoise, Sable Point, and Ermine (Brown-Eyed-White).

Rabbit Genetics | Genetic Terminology | A Locus | B Locus | C Locus | D Locus | E Locus | Vienna & Broken Loci