Hair color is inherited, and many genes are involved in the process. Sometimes, unexpected hair color can occur in a child because of a genetic mutation. Some of the genes involved in hair color also influence eye color and skin color. Hair color is the result of genetics.
Is hair color a genetic trait?
The type and amount of melanin in hair is determined by many genes, although little is known about most of them. The best-studied hair-color gene in humans is called MC1R. … Many other genes also help to regulate this process. Most people have two functioning copies of the MC1R gene, one inherited from each parent.
Is hair considered a trait?
Research shows that your hair’s wave or curl is passed down in your genes. But hair curl is what’s called an “additive” trait, which means that the amount of curl you have depends on how many curly hair gene variations you inherit. … Genes can also interact with each other to determine your hair texture.
What is the rarest hair color?
Natural red hair is the rarest hair color in the world, only occurring in 1 to 2% of the global population. Since red hair is a recessive genetic trait, it is necessary for both parents to carry the gene, whether or not they themselves are redheaded.
Is blonde hair a recessive gene?
The blond allele is recessive, and gets covered up. You can think of recessive alleles as t-shirts, and dominant ones as jackets. … Since you have two copies of each gene, that means the only way to have a recessive feature like blond hair is for both of them to be the recessive allele.
Which of these hair traits is a recessive gene?
Curly hair is considered a “dominant” gene trait. Straight hair is considered “recessive.” To put that in simple terms, that means that if one parent gives you two curly haired genes and the other parent gives you a pair of straight-haired genes, you’ll be born with curly hair.
Is black hair dominant or recessive?
Black hair is the darkest and most common of all human hair colors globally, due to larger populations with this dominant trait. It is a dominant genetic trait, and it is found in people of all backgrounds and ethnicities.
Is red hair a recessive gene?
The MC1R gene is a recessive gene. Genetically, this means that a few different factors have to come into play for a person to have red hair. When a gene is recessive, a person must have two copies of the recessive gene in order for the trait to be expressed (or “seen”).