- Mar 19, 2009
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Are there any geneticists here? I have some questions about the merle gene, and I am not really sure where to go for answers. In my college genetics class, I was told that it was a lethal gene and that animals that were homozygous for the trait died in utero and were never born at all. I have since learned that is not necessarily true. Double merles can be born but they may have serious birth defects such as blindness or deafness or both. What I want to know is why. How does the gene cause all these problems? Is there a good book that would address this?