The Rural Development Administration announced that it has scientifically confirmed that the diverse coat colors of Korean native Jindo dogs are determined by specific genetic mutations.
The research team conducted high-resolution genome analysis on 112 Jindo dogs with different coat colors. The subjects included 32 black-and-tan (Neunbakyi), 31 black (Heukgu), 12 brindle (Hogu), 20 white (Baekgu), and 17 yellow (Hwanggu) Jindo dogs.
The analysis revealed unique genetic mutations specific to Jindo dogs in three genes (CBD103, MC1R, and ASIP) known to be involved in coat color. Notably, a unique genetic mutation (CBD103) was found in the genome of the black-and-tan Jindo dogs, not observed in other coat colors. This trait is characteristic of Jindo dogs and not found in foreign breeds.
Furthermore, the black-and-tan dogs displayed genotypic similarities with ancient wolves from the Eurasian region.
The MC1R gene was mainly observed in white Jindo dogs, confirming its relevance to coat color formation. The ASIP gene showed significant mutations in yellow Jindo dogs. The research team indicated that these genes are involved in forming the coat color patterns of Jindo dogs.
This study is a case of identifying the determinants of coat color in Jindo dogs at the genomic level. The research results were published in the March 2025 issue of the international journal ‘Genomics’ under the title ‘Deep sequencing of Korean Jindo dog reveals evolutionary trajectory of coat color variations.’
Han Man-hee, head of the National Institute of Animal Science’s Animal Genetic Resources Center, stated, “In-depth genomic analysis of Jindo dogs has helped establish the genetic characteristics and diversity of Jindo dogs.”