BIOLOGY 2C03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Oca2, Arabidopsis Thaliana, Dominance (Genetics)
26 Aug 2013
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Albinism is caused by a defect in one of the enzymes required to produce melanin, the pigment that darkens our skin, hair, and eyes, People with albinism don"t produce melanin and, consequently, have white hair, light skin, and no pigment in the irises of their eyes. Melanin protects the dna of skin cells from the damaging effects of uv in sunlight, and melanin"s presence in the developing eye is essential for proper eyesight. Albinism is caused by defects in any one of several genes that control the synthesis and storage of melanin. Form of albinism found in the hopis is oculocutaneous albinism type 2, due to a defect in the oca2 gene on chromosome 15. In most human groups, albinism is rare (1 in 20,000 persons), in hopis 1 in. 1. 2 genetics is important to us individually, to society, and to the study of biology. Genes are fundamental to who and what we are.
