Originally published January 22 2006
Scientist isolate race gene in zebra fish
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Scientists at Penn State University claim to have isolated a surprisingly small genetic sequence that determines race by studying mutation in the SLC24A5 gene in zebra fish.
A team at Penn State University has found just one tiny change in a key gene plays a major role in determining skin pigmentation.
The finding, published in Science, may help explain why people of European descent have lighter skin than those from Africa.
Working out the details of pigmentation with help from model systems like zebrafish is a great paradigm for seeking understanding of other complex diseases Dr Keith Cheng Potentially, it may also lead to the development of new ways to modify skin colour without damaging it by tanning or using harsh chemical lighteners.
The researchers found a variant of the zebrafish, called golden, had fewer, smaller and less heavily pigmented melanosomes than normal fish.
They found the lighter pigmentation was caused by a mutation in the SLC24A5 gene which cuts production of a key protein.
Most human populations carried the same version of the SLC24A5 gene, but people with a European ancestry carried a variant with just one mutation.
Further analysis showed that among people with mixed European and West African ancestry, those carrying the European form of the gene tended to have lighter skin.
The findings suggest that this single gene controls up to 38% of the colour range in this mixed population.
Researcher Dr Keith Cheng said the importance of the work extended beyond pigmentation.
"We know so little about the genetic and evolutionary architecture of human traits.
"We can not expect to use human genetics to understand complex diseases most effectively without first working out how fundamental characteristics, such as eye, hair, and skin colour, are determined.
Dr Emma Knight, of Cancer Research UK, said: "The results of this research are intriguing but we shouldn't jump the gun and speculate about their implications for skin cancer.
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