Our findings extend those of previous studies that reported KIT as a likely causal gene for white spotting, and report novel associations between candidate causal mutations in both the MITF and PAX3 genes.
Though auditory anomalies have been observed in mice with dominant white spotting (W) due to KIT mutations, deafness is not typical in human piebaldism.
A similar disorder of mouse, dominant white spotting (W), results from mutations of the c-Kit protooncogene, which encodes and receptor for mast/stem cell growth factor.