Researchers have discovered that a little change in a person's genetic code could result in that person having blonde hair.

What scientists previously thought was "junk" DNA was actually a genetic mutation that controlled the activity of another gene. David Kingsley headed the study at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Stanford University that uncovered the "blonde gene," wrote Today.com.

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Kingsley said the trait that this gene carried was "only skin deep." But it creates a change in the KITLG gene, the one responsible for skin color that makes a person blonde.

The mutation occurs in another part of the DNA that controls how the hair color gene works. A single-letter change between "A" and "G" in the four-letter code of the DNA determines if a person is going to have blonde or brown hair.

However, Kingsley explained that its effect is restricted to hair color because it does not affect eye color, skin color, or even the intelligence of a person. He added that intelligence level has no connection with blonde hair.

Making a person's hair blonde involves more than one gene because humans possess several genes that control hair color and even general color. The type of blonde in question is common among those living in Scandinavia and Iceland.

The tiny changes that occur in those genes may also create changes in diseases and other traits. Understanding these small changes could help people gain a deeper insight into the reasons for the variation in humans' eye, hair, and skin colors.

Kingsley said his team discovered the blonde mutation while they were studying the stickleback fish, which changes color according to the murkiness of the water.

The scientists experimented with the DNA mutation with mice they have bred similar genetic patterns that they have bred. When given "A" at the mutation point, the mouse turned out to be brown and light brown when given a "G."

Tagsgenes, hair color, Science, Science news