Splashed white (SW 5-8)
Splashed white (SW 5-8)*
General description
Splashed white is a variable white spotting pattern characterized by a broad blaze, extended white markings on the legs, variable white spotting on the belly, and often blue eyes. Six mutations in two different genes have been shown to cause the splashed white pattern.
Breeds
Akhal-Teke, American Bashkir Curly Horse, American Miniature Horse, American Saddlebred, Andalusian horse, Anglo-Arabian, Appaloosa, Arabian Horse, Ardennes horse, Austrian Warmblood, Barb horse, Bavarian Warmblood, Belgian Horse, Belgian Warmblood, Black Forest Horse, Boulonnais, Brandenburger, Breton horse, Camarillo White Horse, Clydesdale, Comtois, Connemara pony, Criollo, Czech Warmblood, Dales pony, Danish Warmblood, Dartmoor pony, Dutch Heavy Draft, Dutch Warmblood, Exmoor pony, Fell pony, Fjord horse, Frederiksborg horse, Freiberger, Friesian horse, German Classic pony, German Riding Pony, German Sport Horse, Haflinger, Hanoverian horse, Hessen, Highland pony, Holsteiner horse, Hucul pony, Icelandic horse, Irish Cob, Irish Draught Horse, Irish Sport Horse, Jutland Horse, Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, Knabstrupper, Konik, Latvian horse, Lewitzer, Lipizzan, Lusitano, Mangalarga Marchador, Mecklenburger, Missouri Fox Trotter, Morgan horse, Mustang horse, Mérens horse, New Forest Pony, Noriker, Oldenburg horse, Orlov trotter, Paint Horse, Paso Fino, Percheron, Peruvian Horse, Pony of the Americas, Pura Raza Espanola, Quarab, Quarter Horse, Quarter pony, Rhenish German Coldblood, Rhinelander horse, Rocky Mountain Horse, Saxonian Warmblood, Scandinavian Coldblood Trotter, Schleswig Coldblood, Selle Francais, Shagya Arabian, Shetland pony, Shire Horse, Standardbred, Swedish Warmblood, Swiss Warmblood, Tennessee Walking Horse, Thoroughbred, Tinker/Gypsy Cob, Trakehner, Welsh pony, Westphalian horse, Wielkopolski, Württemberger, Zweibrücker, other / unknown
Order details
| Test number | 8841 |
| Sample material | 0.5 ml EDTA blood, mane/tail hair roots |
| Test duration | 21-28 working days |
Test specifications
| Literature | OMIA:000214-9796 |
Detailed description
Splashed white is a variable white spotting pattern characterized primarily by a large, broad blaze, extensive white markings on legs, variable white spotting on belly, and often blue eyes. Some, but not all, splashed white horses are also deaf.
In this test 2 genetic variants are identified which have been named in the order they were discovered: SW5and SW6. All of these mutations cause a similar splashed white phenotype in horses although the amount of white patterning is variable and thought to be controlled by other genes. Some are known, but mostly these additional genes, contributing to the variation in splash white phenotype, are yet to be identified.
SW5 was identified in an American Paint Horse family. It is unknown if SW5 is homozygous lethal and no homozygotes have been reported.
SW6 was identified in a single family as a de novo (new/recent) mutation. Being a de novo mutation means only this individual, his offspring, and resulting future generations of horses originating with this stallion can have this mutation.
At this time, it is not known whether homozygosity for SW6 (two copies of this mutation) is viable. Based on the type of mutation and the role MITF plays in development, it is suspected that SW6/SW6 may be embryonic lethal. However one SW1/SW6 compound heterozygote was identified as part of the VGL study.
Splashed white mutations are inherited as dominant traits with variable expression, which means that one copy of a SW mutation will produce a white spotting phenotype with variable amount of white. Horses that carry combinations of the splashed white mutations, tobiano, or lethal white overo can display extensive white patterning or their coats maybe entirely white.
Testing for the splashed white pattern allows breeders to identify which splashed white mutation is present in their horse and can aid in breeding decisions and clinical decisions if deafness is suspected.
