used on a family in which nine people lacked fingerprints and the rest had normal fingerprints. DNA was taken from each family member and their genomes were compared. Scientists found 17 differences in the genome of the people who lacked fingerprints. They found sequence of genes that overlapped on the SMARCAD1 gene. When this gene was sequenced, mutations were found in all the fingerprintless individuals and not in the people with fingerprints. It is believed that the SMARCAD1 gene is responsible for the folding of skin cells in fetal development. There is still a decent amount of research that needs to be conducted to further prove that this gene mutation is present in all individuals without fingerprints. A geneticists from Indiana University School of Medicine, Terry Reed, seems to think there is more to the story than just a mutation of the SMARCAD1 gene.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Missing Fingerprints
An article published in Science Magazine explains the phenomenon behind being born without fingerprints. This condition is called adermatoglyphia and there are only 4 documented cases thus far. The study at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland, foc
used on a family in which nine people lacked fingerprints and the rest had normal fingerprints. DNA was taken from each family member and their genomes were compared. Scientists found 17 differences in the genome of the people who lacked fingerprints. They found sequence of genes that overlapped on the SMARCAD1 gene. When this gene was sequenced, mutations were found in all the fingerprintless individuals and not in the people with fingerprints. It is believed that the SMARCAD1 gene is responsible for the folding of skin cells in fetal development. There is still a decent amount of research that needs to be conducted to further prove that this gene mutation is present in all individuals without fingerprints. A geneticists from Indiana University School of Medicine, Terry Reed, seems to think there is more to the story than just a mutation of the SMARCAD1 gene.
used on a family in which nine people lacked fingerprints and the rest had normal fingerprints. DNA was taken from each family member and their genomes were compared. Scientists found 17 differences in the genome of the people who lacked fingerprints. They found sequence of genes that overlapped on the SMARCAD1 gene. When this gene was sequenced, mutations were found in all the fingerprintless individuals and not in the people with fingerprints. It is believed that the SMARCAD1 gene is responsible for the folding of skin cells in fetal development. There is still a decent amount of research that needs to be conducted to further prove that this gene mutation is present in all individuals without fingerprints. A geneticists from Indiana University School of Medicine, Terry Reed, seems to think there is more to the story than just a mutation of the SMARCAD1 gene.
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This is quite interesting, I never even realized people could be born without fingerprints. I wonder if the gene is dominant or recessive...
ReplyDeleteThis is quite interesting, I never even realized people could be born without fingerprints. I wonder if the gene is dominant or recessive…
ReplyDeleteThis genetic trait is pretty interesting, especially since there are only a handful of people who have this condition. It is interesting that finger prints are developed in the fetus, and it is created by the folding of skin. it is also cool that a gene determines our fingerprints since everyone has a different fingerprint.
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