Can someone explain allelic genes to me?

I don’t understand what allelic genes are and how they work??h

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My understanding is that each mutation sits at a certain spot on the chromosome. If another mutation sits at the same spot as another, they’re allelic. So with normal recessive mutations, it requires two copies of the same mutant gene to be visually expressed. With an allelic gene, you can have one copy of gene A and one copy of gene B and visually express morph AB. As an example, with corn snakes, we have mutations called amel, ultra, and ultramel. Amel and ultra are allelic. So two copies of the amel gene produces an amel corn, two copies of ultra produces an ultra corn, and one copy of each produces ultramel, which looks kind of in between an amel and an ultra.

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Ok so I bought an Asphalt from someone on MM that I’ve purchased from before and I trust. He told me that he’s allelic and will never produce a normal with him. How come all Asphalts are not allelic or are they?? I didn’t think they all are.

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Sorry, I don’t know much about ball python morphs. The morphpedia has a bit of info on it, if you haven’t read it already: https://community.morphmarket.com/t/morphpedia-ball-pythons-asphalt/21633

Maybe he meant incomplete dominant? Because even an allelic morph can produce normals if it’s not bred to something that it’s allelic with.

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Unless it’s a Super Asphalt, an Asphalt Gravel, YB Asphalt, etc it’s not allelic super which he seems to be referring to. Asphalt on it’s own is just an incomplete dominant gene in the YB complex. Can you post a picture?

Super is the reptile hobby’s slang for Homozygous

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It is an Asphalt Gravel.

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I thought with alleles you didn’t produce normals.

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Asphalt Gravel is a heteroallelic (spelling? @t_h_wyman ) combination meaning that you’ll produce either Asphalts or Gravels but no normals.

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Ok so when I introduce yellowbelly I should get Freeways right??

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So here are my slides showing a visual representation of what is happening in allelic traits, althought this is for recessive, the same idea still applies.

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A snake that is homozygous for a trait (such as clown or super asphalt) will by default pass down one copy of the trait to each offspring, because both chromosomes have the same allele and no matter which one the offspring get, they’ll get a copy of that trait.

In the case where a snake has two different alleles (such as a crypton, or asphalt gravel), each offspring will recieve one of the two possible alleles. So ~50% of babies from an asphalt gravel parent will recieve the asphalt allele, and the other ~50% will recieve gravel

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If you breed to a single gene yellow belly then you can get 4 outcomes. A freeway (asphalt, yellow belly) a highway ( gravel, yellow belly) or the single gene yellow belly won’t pass on the yellow belly and you will just get more asphalt or gravels. If you breed to a ivory (super yellow belly) you would only get highways and freeways. Also yours is called a pavement (asphalt, gravel)

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Cool beans!! Thank you, I’m learnin here along the way. So I have a Freeway and a Pavement, thanks!!!

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Ok so I’m followin what you guys have posted and said here (thank you all) but how do I know what genes are allelic?? Are there specific genes that fall into this category?? Like I’ve never heard of Pastel or O.D. bein allelic. Is there a list or chart of allelics???

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If you look on morphpedia you can see “complexes” of genes that are allelic

there’s also a thread Allelic Morphs aka Complexes [Ball Pythons]

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Also there are so many types of genetic mutations with ball pythons don’t feel overwhelmed, it will take some time and repeat study to start to get a grasp on it. We all learn more all the time!

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The content is here is so informative! Saving this one for sure.

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Glossary - Wiki - This may help with any other questions you may have :blush:

Lets link this thread to it for the future :wink:

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Again thank you all for the info!! Makes me happy that there’s people like this still out there!! The world’s becoming a crazy place. Nice to know this is available, to be able to come here and talk about our snakes and any issues we may have!! To all, have a blessed day and enjoy spring before it gets too hot!!! :v:t2::v:t2::v:t2:

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Sorry, I was out of town and unplugged for it so only seeing this now. But Hilary handled it great so obviously I was not needed LOL

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