In this post: Transparent scale part I I have stated a hypothesis about gene known as Transparent scale. It was: “Transparent scale gene affects tail fin shape by changing the guanine synthesis levels.
In my own line of roundtails from time to time broad tails has started to pop up. I have compared delta tail with round tails brothers from the same line and guanine levels were similar in them. Is it then possible that transparent scale gene in fact is not modyfing guanine levels? Well answer was provided by Alan Bias from USA. He looked at transparent scale fishes under microscope and observed a new fact. Transparent scale seems to be melanophores modificator.
So for this moment new hypothesis seems good enough: Transparent scale gene does not affect tail fin shape by lowering guanine levels.
Key problem from the roundtail breeder perspective stays, sadly, unanswered. Is it possible to have a roundtail without Transparent scale gene?
Time will tell whether nature decides to show some new facts which will move understanding of roundtails in totally new direction or some new facts that will bring some light to Transparent scale gene’s understanding.