2012 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2012. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

---

230

How are some people born with two seperate eye colors?      Belen Hurle, Ph.D.: I am a Research Fellow in NHGRI's Genome Technology Branch and a Program Director in NHGRI's Intramural Training Office. I study primate genomes as a means to enhance our understanding of human evolutionary biology. Heterochromia of the eyes (difference in coloration between eyes) at birth is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Although infrequently seen in humans, complete heterochromia is more frequently observed in other species, such as cats, dogs and cattle, where it almost always involves one blue eye. Peru High School in IN (9th grade student)

---

< View ALL questions and answers from 2012

Or, search the 2012 transcript by keyword:
(short, single keywords work best at first)