The genetic basis of human pigmentation

Abstract

Current methods for forensic DNA analysis require identification of a suspect for comparison purposes. The ability to determine the physical characteristics of the source of a crime scene sample would provide important investigative information. The most obvious descriptors of an individual's appearance are height, colouring and facial features. Since these traits are all highly heritable, as exemplified by the striking similarity of identical twins, it should be possible to determine the polymorphisms that cause the different traits. To date most work in this area has concentrated on pigmentation, since the genetic basis of hair, skin and eye colour is quite well understood. Over 120 genes have been identified in the mouse that affect coat and skin colour and the human homologues of these genes are known. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a number of these genes have been associated with various human hair, skin and eye colour phenotypes and a number of these SNPs have been shown to have functional affects.