New_JJ World_NN1 Wolves_NN2 and_CC Coyotes_NN2 Owe_VV0 Debt_NN1 to_II Dogs_NN2 In_II a_AT1 bit_NN1 of_IO genetic_JJ sleuthing_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 team_NN1 of_IO researchers_NN2 has_VHZ determined_VVN that_CST black_JJ wolves_NN2 and_CC coyotes_NN2 in_II North_ND1 America_NP1 got_VVD their_APPGE distinctive_JJ color_NN1 from_II dogs_NN2 that_CST carried_VVD a_AT1 gene_NN1 mutation_NN1 to_II the_AT New_JJ World_NN1 ._. 
The_AT finding_NN1 presents_VVZ a_AT1 rare_JJ instance_NN1 in_II which_DDQ a_AT1 genetic_JJ mutation_NN1 from_II a_AT1 domesticated_JJ animal_NN1 has_VHZ benefited_VVN wild_JJ animals_NN2 by_II enriching_VVG their_APPGE "_" genetic_JJ legacy_NN1 ,_, "_" the_AT scientists_NN2 write_VV0 in_II Thursday_NPD1 's_GE Science_NN1 Express_NN1 ,_, the_AT online_JJ edition_NN1 of_IO the_AT journal_NN1 Science_NN1 ._. 
Because_CS black_JJ wolves_NN2 are_VBR more_RGR common_JJ in_II forested_JJ areas_NN2 than_CSN on_II the_AT tundra_NN1 ,_, the_AT researchers_NN2 concluded_VVD that_DD1 melanism_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT pigmentation_NN1 that_CST resulted_VVD from_II the_AT mutation_NN1 --_NN1 must_VM give_VVI those_DD2 animals_NN2 an_AT1 adaptive_JJ advantage_NN1 ._. 
Although_CS common_JJ in_II many_DA2 species_NN ,_, melanism_NN1 in_II dogs_NN2 follows_VVZ a_AT1 unique_JJ genetic_JJ pathway_NN1 ,_, said_VVD Dr._NNB Gregory_NP1 S._NP1 Barsh_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 professor_NN1 of_IO genetics_NN1 and_CC pediatrics_NN1 at_II the_AT Stanford_NP1 University_NN1 School_NN1 of_IO Medicine_NN1 and_CC the_AT senior_JJ author_NN1 of_IO the_AT paper_NN1 ._. 
Last_MD year_NNT1 ,_, Dr._NNB Barsh_NP1 and_CC his_APPGE laboratory_NN1 identified_VVN a_AT1 gene_NN1 mutation_NN1 responsible_JJ for_IF the_AT protein_NN1 beta-defensin_NN1 3_MC ,_, which_DDQ regulates_VVZ melanism_NN1 in_II dogs_NN2 ._. 
After_II finding_VVG that_CST the_AT same_DA mutation_NN1 was_VBDZ responsible_JJ for_IF black_JJ wolves_NN2 and_CC black_JJ coyotes_NN2 in_II North_ND1 America_NP1 ,_, and_CC for_IF black_JJ wolves_NN2 from_II the_AT Italian_JJ Apennines_NN2 where_RRQ wolves_NN2 have_VH0 recently_RR hybridized_VVN with_IW free-ranging_JJ dogs_NN2 ,_, the_AT researchers_NN2 set_VV0 out_RP to_TO discover_VVI where_RRQ and_CC when_CS the_AT mutation_NN1 evolved_VVD ._. 
Comparing_VVG large_JJ sections_NN2 of_IO wolf_NN1 ,_, dog_NN1 and_CC coyote_NN1 genomes_NN2 ,_, Dr._NNB Barsh_NP1 and_CC his_APPGE colleagues_NN2 concluded_VVD that_CST the_AT mutation_NN1 arose_VVD in_II dogs_NN2 12,779_MC to_II 121,182_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, with_IW a_AT1 preferred_JJ date_NN1 of_IO 46,886_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ._. 
Because_CS the_AT first_MD domesticated_JJ dogs_NN2 are_VBR estimated_VVN to_II date_NN1 back_RP just_RR 15,000_MC to_II 40,000_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA in_II East_ND1 Asia_NP1 ,_, the_AT researchers_NN2 said_VVD that_CST they_PPHS2 could_VM not_XX determine_VVI with_IW certainty_NN1 whether_CSW the_AT mutation_NN1 arose_VVD first_MD in_II wolves_NN2 that_CST predate_VV0 that_DD1 time_NNT1 ,_, or_CC in_II dogs_NN2 at_II an_AT1 early_JJ date_NN1 in_II their_APPGE domestication_NN1 ._. 
