So, Where do Eye Colors Really Come From?

The colored part of the eye is called the iris, and the dark center is known as the pupil. So, what makes the iris appear as a certain color? Maybe brown, hazel, green or blue? Eye color is pieced together by different portions of certain pigment and the tissue that makes up part of the iris. The pigment expressing cells of the iris are known as melanocytes. They can create two different pigments: eumelanin (brown-black) or pheomelanin (red). You can see here that there is no pigment for blue eyes. Blue eyes are formed due to white collage fibers in the iris tissues. Dark eyes are formed from a large amount of pigment, while the blues and greens form from low amounts of pigment.
An article published on Medical News Today, explained that an eye color is made up of many more than just one gene. In fact, the eye color is made up of about eleven genes! Although we know that eye color is inherited from the parents, eleven genes are involved for this one single traits formation. Researchers at Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam did a study on genetic variants in the eleven genes of over 3,000 people. "When they compared these genetic profiles with a new method of assessing eye color in photographs - which was developed as part of the study - the team could reliably predict eye color in most cases."
There is still ongoing research to determine all genes incorporated in the creation of eye color and pattern, but the information obtained as of now is still fascinating. I really enjoyed reading this article. This is such a neat study because most people believe that eye color is passed on from parent to child through a simple gene. It is interesting to learn that there are actually 11 genes involved in this process! This is also very interesting to me because it is possible for two parents with brown eyes can have a child with blue eyes. It all leads back to science.

Disease-fighters Disrupt Mosquito's Genes with Molecular Scissors

               

Used TALENs to change the eye color in mosquito's and removing part of the genetic code.
 Offspring had light colored eyes and confirms that the genetic code has been wiped out. 

 Scientists at Virginia Tech have successfully disrupted the genes that control eye color in mosquitoes. This procedure has been accomplished by using a genetic-engineering technique. This method relies on two specially designed proteins that belong to a class identified as transcription activator-like effector nucleases, TALENs  this can target DNA at a precise site in an organism’s genetic code. Zach Adelman, a Virginia Tech entomologist, refers to these TALENs as “a very, very fine-tuned pair of scissors”.

               

                  The Virginia Tech researchers had used a different approach with the TALENs. They did not modify the function of a gene; they intended to restrict a gene by cutting away at it. In this procedure, genetically engineered TALEN proteins were injected into the germ cells of mosquito embryos early in their development. The intention of this process was to interrupt the coding for the eye pigmentation that would be handed down to the next generation. When the mosquitoes gave birth to their offspring, a great percentage of the offspring had light-colored eyes rather than the typical black eyes. This lack of pigment has confirmed that the genetic code had been wiped out.

                Scientists want to identify the genetic mechanisms in mosquitoes that have a role in virus transmission. If they can find these mechanisms, they can design an altered set of molecular scissors to disrupt that genetic code. This can help the fight against mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever. They would be able to remove that part of the mosquito’s genetic code and wipe out that disease.

                I found this story to be very interesting. It amazes me how fast our technology has enhanced and expanded. Scientists can now alter the genetic codes of different animal and human cells. Instead of just editing the genomes, they can now remove the gene. After the gene is removed, the offspring will not have that gene and we can generally wipe out the things that can harm us. However, I feel that this could also become a problem. There are things that would benefit us if they are improved yet, I feel that this could make people want to improve and remove too much. Scientist should continue to strive for new and improved results and technologies. 

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/disease-fighters-disrupt-mosquitos-genes-molecular-scissors-1C9007366

http://www.planet-science.com/categories/over-11s/natural-world/2012/08/molecular-scissors.aspx