How Now Brown eyes… ?
Another exciting insight I gleaned analyzing my DNA.
If I asked you to tell me what you know about genes and DNA you could probably recite your high school learning about blue eyes being recessive genes or the rarity of red eyes.
Apparently, the process by which our specific genes derive eye color is quite complex but with modern DNA testing we know all the details! As I posted previously, I’ve been using various tools around the Internet to analyze the DNA results I received from Ancestry.com.
One tool at www.gedmatch.com actually walks through the specific SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism?—?the variations in DNA sequencing that make you YOU!) and predicts a composite of what your eye should look like.
Here’s the readout. The items that begin with “rs” are the SNPs and the pair of capitalized letters are the variant. A description is given for each one. See if you can follow it:
AG at: rs4778138?—?Adds melanin. Adds yellow, amber, or brown. Some darkening. Contributes to brown.
CC at: rs3794604?—?Blocks some melanin. Often gives light colored eyes.
CC at: rs9782955?—?Blocks some melanin. Often gives light colored eyes.
CT at: rs3947367?—?Contrasting sphincter around pupil.
CT at: rs1129038?—?Adds Yellow.
AA at: rs1105879?—?Weak Amber Gradient
GT at: rs7713279?—?Inhibit weak amber gradient
GG at: rs12906280?—?Gray ring around outer edge
AA at: rs4778241?—?Medium melanin on Anterior Epithelium. Brown.
CT at: rs1667394?—?Medium melanin production on Anterior Epithelium. Adds yellow, amber, or brown. Some darkening.
AG at: rs7174027?—?Adds Yellow.
AG at: rs7495174?—?Adds melanin. Adds yellow, amber, or brown. Some darkening. Contributes to brown.
CC at: rs12203592?—?No pigmented Collarette.
AG at: rs11634406?—?Flecks (Nevi).
FIRST... here's the version they predicted:
I’ll let you decide for yourself… but I was impressed.
Below is a picture of my actual eye which I took today
