More than the eye can see! The study identifies 50 new genes that play a role in iris staining compared to one or two previously said to cause different shades.
- One study identified 50 new genes involved in determining human eye color
- The researcher performed the analysis with approximately 195,000 Europeans and Asians
- It was previously thought that only one or two genes were involved
- However, many of the new genes have not been reported to determine eye color
A new study reveals that human eye color is much more complex than previously thought.
A group of international scientists have identified 50 new genes that play a role in eye color following the genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 people in Europe and Asia.
It was previously said that the shades were controlled by one or two eyelashes, with brown eyes usually dominating the blue.
The team also found 1,636 Asian participants with different shades of brown eyes with iris pigmentation variations similar to Europeans who have a wider range from dark brown to light blue.
“The results of our study show that the genetic complexity of human eye color far exceeds previous knowledge and expectations, highlighting eye color as an extremely genetically complex human trait,” the study published in Science Advances.
A group of international scientists have identified 50 new genes that play a role in eye color following the genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 people in Europe and Asia. It has previously been said that shades are controlled by one or two eyelashes, with brown eyes usually dominating the blue.
The study, led by King’s College London and Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, is considered to be “the largest genetic study of its kind to date”.
Lead co-author Dr. Manfred Kayser, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, said: “This study provides the genetic knowledge needed to improve the prediction of eye color in DNA, as has already been applied in anthropological and forensic studies, but with precision. limited to non-brown eye colors that are not blue. ‘
The 50 new genes were previously identified, but were not classified as playing a role in eye color.
For example, the team found that eight of the genes were reported for genetic associations with other pigmentary traits, such as hair and skin color.
These findings will help improve understanding of eye diseases, such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism, where eye pigment levels play a role.
“Moreover, we also identified 34 genetic loci that were significantly associated with eye color, but for which there is no significant association with hair and / or skin color,” say the researchers.
These findings will help improve understanding of eye diseases, such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism, where eye pigment levels play a role.
Dr. Pirro Hysi, co-lead author, said: “The discoveries are exciting because they bring us one step closer to understanding the genes that cause one of the most striking features of human faces, which has mystified generations throughout history. our. ‘
This will improve our understanding of many diseases that we know are associated with specific levels of pigmentation.
The color of our eyes has always been a mysterious miracle and is usually a surprise at birth.
However, new technologies allow people to choose the shade of babies’ eyes, along with other skills and characteristics.
A form of gene editing called CRISPR is already being used by Chinese scientists to alter genetic mutations that cause disease in human embryos.
And a 2018 study showed that 39% of people would change the DNA of their unborn child to select their eye color.