Human variation, including differences in skin, hair and eye pigmentation, have been a source of public interest and scientific investigation for hundreds of years. Recently, Walsh et al. (2012) extended our understanding of human pigmentation by showing a small number of genetic variants could be used to predict eye color in humans. This IrisPlex prediction system utilizes allele frequencies of six genetic markers to calculate the probability of blue, intermediate or brown eyes in an individual. Unfortunately, this method requires sequencing to determine the alleles present at each locus. For multiple samples, the cost and time expended may prohibit implementation in a classroom environment. Using allele-specific PCR, mismatch primers can determine the alleles present at these sites without the need for sequencing. We feel that these methods allow for the incorporation of eye color prediction into the curriculum of college laboratory courses and promote discussions concerning forensic science and human genetic diversity.?
Keywords: Allele-specific PCR, forensics, human eye color
University of California, San Diego (2023)
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