The genetic oddity among the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands: Blond hair

In the Solomon Islands in about 10 percent of black natives strikingly blond hair. Some islanders believe that the painting could be a result of constant exposure to the sun or in connection with meals, with a predominance of fish products. Another explanation is that white hair color was inherited from distant ancestors - European traders and explorers who visited the island.

But this statement can not be valid, the researchers report. The gene sequence responsible for the blond hair of the islanders, is distinctly different from the gene that causes blond hair in Europeans.

"For me, this discovery breaks any type of conventional theories that you could hear the Race changes before," said Carlos Bustamante, a geneticist at Stanford University. "People admirably diverse, and it is - just the tip of the iceberg".

Dr. Bustamante and his colleagues published the results of their research in the current issue of the journal Science.

The researchers analyzed saliva samples over 1000 islanders closely surveyed samples of atypical test - 43 blond and 42 dark-haired islanders. And then they were able to identify a single gene responsible for the difference in hair color aborigines. Said TYRP1, a gene known to affect pigmentation in humans.

The researchers also found that the species TYRP1, which causes the light color hair of the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands, is completely absent in the genetic material originating from Europe.

"Here we have not fully studied population with slight differences in race, and we really can find some wonderful things," explains Dr. Bustamante. "So what we can to help the study of the islanders of the Solomon Islands? With it we will be able to know the mysteries of genetics such as, for example, light skin pigmentation in some regions of Africa. Or even to unravel the genetic basis of color of skin and hair of the population all over the world ".

Carlos Bustamante and his team are hoping to get more money to analyze the detailed data of the Solomon Islands.