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Apply today for the HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador Academy! The Academy is a multi-year professional development experience designed to support evidence-based teaching practices. We’re looking for educators with diverse backgrounds and teaching contexts who are committed to centering equity in their classrooms.Genetic Origin of Variation in Human Skin Color
Topic
Resource Type
Description
This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that investigated a gene involved in determining human skin color.
This study focused on the gene SLC24A5, which codes for a protein involved in melanin production. Variations in this gene are associated with variations in human skin pigmentation. The scientists considered two alleles of SLC24A5: an ancestral allele “G” and a derived allele “A.” The figure shows the different distributions in human skin pigmentation (melanin index) for three SLC24A5 genotypes (GG, AG, and AA), relative to a regression line calculated for the GG genotype.
The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure.
- Describe how variations in genotype contribute to variations in phenotype.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
allele, genotype, histogram, melanin, melanosome, pigmentation, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), zebrafish
Primary Literature
Lamason R. L., Manzoor-Ali P. K. Mohideen, Jason R. Mest, Andrew C. Wong, Heather L. Norton, Michele C. Aros, Michael J. Jurynec, et al. “SLC24A5, a putative cation exchanger, affects pigmentation in zebrafish and humans.” Science 310, 5755 (2005): 1782–1786. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1116238.
To access this article, set up a free AAAS account. An annotated version of the article is also available from Science in the Classroom.
Terms of Use
Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-LS3-1, HS-LS4-4; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5
AP Biology (2019)
SYI-3.B; SP1, SP4
IB Biology (2016)
3.1, 10.2
AP Environmental Science (2020)
Topic(s): 2.6, 2.7
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H, SP5
IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)
8.1
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5
Vision and Change (2009)
CC3; DP2, DP3