What protein does the eye color gene encode Propose what the

What protein does the “eye color gene” encode? Propose what the function of this protein might be, and how
this protein might diff er in people with brown and blue eyes.

Solution

Color of the eye mainly depends on the pigment melanin. The more is the melanin, the darker the eyes appear. Apart from the concentration of melanin, its distribution also is important that determines the eye color. The density of the pigment proteins, and the scattering of light by the iris determine the eye color. The ratio o f eumelanin to pheomelanin is one more factor that determines the eye color.

The genes associated with eye color are HERC2 and OCA2. Mutations in the HERC2 gene are somehow responsible for blue eyes. While brown eye genes are dominant, blue eye genes are recessive. Brown eye genes express more melanin and protein whereas blue eye genes produce less amount of melanin. Blue eyes appear so since the pigment is not enough to evercome the contribution of scattering of light in the iris.

There is no specific function detected with eye color. It probably protects the eye from radiation like the melanin does in other parts of the skin.