The Unsafe Sex: Should The World Invest More In Men's Health?
The world's top health problems are more common in men than women, but funding has focused on women.READ MORE
Font size:
A |
A |
A |
A
The genetic factors responsible for a cat's stripes might help researchers understand disease resistance in humans.
kennymatic via Flickr
Hear the story from NPR:
Different lineages of cat with the same coloration got their looks in unique ways. The genetic variants that determine those patterns come from different mutations in the same genes. And that has some scientists thinking there may be more to the genes than meets the eye.
At this point it's just an interesting hypothesis, but it's possible that understanding cat coloration could help scientists understand resistance to infectious diseases.
Here's the connection. Stephen O'Brien and colleagues at a variety of institutions including the Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, Ala., and Stanford University in California have worked out some of the genetic pathways that explain why "some cats are spotted, some cats have stripes, some cats have what we call blotches, and other cats don't have any of that, they just have a black or a lion-like color," says O'Brien.
They spell out the explanation in the latest issue of Science.
O'Brien says different lineages of cat have the same kinds of coloration, but they got them in unique ways. The genetic variants that determine those patterns come from different mutations in the same genes.
When geneticists see that kind of pattern of mutations over time, they figure those genes must be doing something that confers an important survival advantage because they stick around. That's evolution.
Now, it's possible that the advantage is simply camouflage to avoid predators or stalk prey, but O'Brien believes something else may be going on.
"Many of the genes involved in coat color sit on the surface of cells," he says. "Viruses are always looking for things to jump on that can allow them to stick and then invade a cell." No one has explicitly made the connection with the cat coloration gene, but they're in the right place.
There are reported examples of skin pigment genes playing a role in response to invading organisms. "Melanin plays an evolutionary ancient role in insect immunity to malaria," writes Michael Waisberg of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in a recent article, although his research shows that melanin does not have a similar protective role for mice.
So maybe, maybe, maybe understanding the genes involved in cat coloration will tell us something someday about human infectious diseases.
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.9(MDA1MTczMTM4MDEyNzM1OTUxMzg5ZDUyMw004))
Filed in:
Also in Health
READ MORE
Experts Agree: 'Psychiatry's Bible' Is No Bible
The latest version of the DSM manual of psychiatric diagnoses is already inciting criticism.READ MORE
Illinois Lawmakers Send Medical Marijuana Bill To Governor
Gov. Pat Quinn has not said if he will sign, making Illinois the 19th state to legalize pot.READ MORE
Up For Discussion: Cost Of Cancer Care Avoided Too Often
Most cancer patients want to talk about the cost of care, but only a few bring it up with doctors.READ MORE
Flaxseed: The Next Superfood For Cattle And Beef?
Flax-fed cattle have an added benefit for people who later eat their meat: omega-3 enriched beef.READ MORE
Doctors Confirm Black Lung In Victims Of Mine Blast
Evidence of a resurgence of black lung raises concerns about miners' exposure to coal dust.READ MORE
