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Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of skin color diversity in Africans

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Skin color is highly variable in Africans, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using population genetics and functional genomics, we identified key genetic variants, regulatory elements and genes that affect skin pigmentation, an adaptive trait, which provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying human skin color diversity and evolution.

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Fig. 1: TMEM138 and the lysosomal membrane ascorbate-dependent ferrireductase CYB561A3 are two newly identified regulators of human skin pigmentation.

References

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This is a summary of: Feng, Y. et al. Integrative functional genomic analyses identify genetic variants influencing skin pigmentation in Africans. Nat. Genet. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01626-1 (2024).

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Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of skin color diversity in Africans. Nat Genet 56, 200–201 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01643-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01643-0

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