The Scientist interviews Athanasia Tzika to explore how she and her team uncovered the genetic mechanisms behind skin color patterns in snakes and lizards. Using comparative genomics and pioneering CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in the corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus), the team identified mutations in several genes, including PMEL, that shift skin patterns from blotches to stripes.
In the so-called “Terrazzo” morph, reduced PMEL expression during embryonic development prevents pigment-cell aggregates from forming, resulting in stripes instead of blotches. Gene-edited PMEL-knockout snakes reproduce this striped phenotype, confirming PMEL’s central role in reptile color patterning. This work represents a significant advance in understanding the genetic basis of adaptive color pattern diversity in snakes and lizards.
Read the full interview with Athanasia here:
https://www.the-scientist.com/how-do-snakes-get-their-colorful-stripes-and-blotches-73812