Scientists from the University of Hong Kong, alongside an international team, discovered a genetic "switch" that controls the diversity of vibrant colors in parents. The study, uploaded in the journal Science, showed that parrots use unique pigments called psittacofulvis to create their known distinctive colors of yellow, red, and greens. Other birds do not possess these psittacofulvin pigments. One protein, which is a type of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), is in charge of controlling these psittacofulvin pigments.
The ALDH protein functions as a color dial, actively converting red psittacofulvins to yellow ones when cells produce them in high quantities. The mechanism of this process is demonstrated in multiple parrot species like the dusky lory, rosy-faced lovebirds, and budgerigars. The researchers also genetically engineered yeast to produce parrot colors, confirming that the found gene, ALDH3A2, is sufficient to explain how parrots control their feather coloration. This discovery sheds light on how complex traits can evolve through simple molecular innovations.
I find this article very interesting as such simple molecular innovations in parrots allow them to allow biological switches to maintain the parrot's distinctive colors. Suppose animals such as parrots can create their biological dial to adjust the pigmentation of their feathers. Could humans have the same mechanism as a dial that helps control pigmentation in our hair or other body parts? With further research into this, I believe we could take another step forward in understanding biological mechanisms
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241115125034.htm
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp7710
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