4 ms·
Is there any trait that is strongly linked to a single gene? Whenever I hear a news article that there is no X gene, I am completely unsurprised. The idea tha
by haberman 6y ago
Is there any trait that is strongly linked to a single gene?
Whenever I hear a news article that there is no X gene, I am completely unsurprised. The idea that a single gene would uniquely determine a particular trait, as if it were a variable in a program like "bool has_blue_eyes", seems oversimplified and unrealistic.
- iguy 6y ago> Is there any trait that is strongly linked to a single gene? Sure. Sickle-cell anaemia is one classic case, one (recessive) gene. Huntington's disease is another, it's about a specific repeat number. But, as you say, most complex traits (such as height) aren't like that, and involve hundreds or thousands of different genes. IIRC eye color is actually fairly simple, not one gene but much of the control in just a handful? Maybe hair color too? (But not super-sure.)
- nradov 6y agoABO blood group gene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABO_%28gene%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABO_%28gene%29
- Simulacra 6y agoYes. MC1R which people with red hair carry. It's a very strongly associated gene. Also "People with freckles and no red hair have an 85% chance of carrying the MC1R gene that is connected to red hair. People with no freckles and no red hair have an 18% chance of carrying the MC1R gene linked to red hair." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanocortin_1_receptor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanocortin_1_receptor