More than meets the eye! Research identifies 50 new genes that play a role in iris coloration compared to the one or two previously said to determine different shades
- A study has identified 50 new genes involved in determining human eye color
- Researcher conducted the analysis with about 195,000 Europeans and Asians
- It was previously believed 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 believed.
A group of international scientists has identified 50 new genes that play a role in eye color after genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 people in Europe and Asia.
It was previously said that shades are controlled by one or two genes, with brown eyes typically dominating blue.
The team also found that 1,636 Asian participants with different shades of brown eyes had iris pigmentation variations similar to Europeans who have a wider range from dark brown to light blue.
“Our study results show that the genetic complexity of human eye color significantly exceeds previous knowledge and expectations, highlighting eye color as a genetically highly complex human trait,” reads the study published in Science Advances.
A group of international scientists has identified 50 new genes that play a role in eye color after genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 people in Europe and Asia. It was previously said that shades are controlled by one or two genes, with brown eyes typically dominating blue
The study, led by King’s College London and Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, is considered ‘the largest genetic study of its kind to date’.
Co-senior author Dr Manfred Kayser, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, said: ‘This study provides the genetic knowledge needed to improve eye color prediction based on DNA, as already applied in anthropological and forensic studies, but with limited accuracy for the non-brown and non-blue eye colors. ‘
The 50 new genes had been 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 pigment traits, such as hair and skin color.
These findings will help improve understanding of eye diseases such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism, in which eye pigment levels play a role.
“In addition, we also identified 34 genetic loci that were significantly associated with eye color, but for which there is no reported significant association with hair and / or skin color,” say researchers.
These findings will help improve understanding of eye diseases such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism, in which eye pigment levels play a role.
Co-senior author Dr. Pirro Hysi, King’s, said: ‘The findings are exciting because they take us one step closer to understanding the genes that cause one of the most striking features of human faces that have baffled generations in our history. ‘
“This will improve our understanding of many diseases that we know are related to specific levels of pigmentation.”
The color of our eyes has always been a mysterious wonder and is usually a surprise at birth.
However, new technologies allow people to choose the color of a baby’s eyes along with other skills and functions.
A form of gene editing called CRISPR is already being used by scientists in China to alter disease-causing genetic mutations in human embryos.
And a 2018 study revealed that 39 percent of people would change their unborn child’s DNA to select their eye color.