Can genetic modification be used to change hair and eye color?

Expert response from Community Manager

Tuesday, 01/12/2015 12:24

Yes, hair and eye color can be genetically modified. A good example is domestication of animals where both hair and eye color have been selected through breeding which is a form of genetic modification. My wife and I have a pure white, odd-eyed (one yellow and one blue eye), Persian cat. Both her hair and eyes were genetically modified through selective breeding.   

 

Genetic engineering is another form of genetic modification. There are multiple genes that control eye and hair color. It’s easy to get blue eyes because one would only need to “turn off” one of the multiple genes needed for dark eyes. I don’t think that an animal has yet been genetically engineered for hair or eye color but they have been for other traits for many years. Just this week, a genetically-engineered salmon was approved for human consumption.  

 

Expect to see in the near future genetic engineering of humans to alleviate disease. Recently, I heard a seminar describing how sickle cell anemia can be corrected by genetic engineering and my own university is working hard to cure cystic fibrosis though genetic engineering.

 

I hope my answer is helpful.

Expert response from Community Manager

Tuesday, 01/12/2015 12:24

Yes, hair and eye color can be genetically modified. A good example is domestication of animals where both hair and eye color have been selected through breeding which is a form of genetic modification. My wife and I have a pure white, odd-eyed (one yellow and one blue eye), Persian cat. Both her hair and eyes were genetically modified through selective breeding.   

 

Genetic engineering is another form of genetic modification. There are multiple genes that control eye and hair color. It’s easy to get blue eyes because one would only need to “turn off” one of the multiple genes needed for dark eyes. I don’t think that an animal has yet been genetically engineered for hair or eye color but they have been for other traits for many years. Just this week, a genetically-engineered salmon was approved for human consumption.  

 

Expect to see in the near future genetic engineering of humans to alleviate disease. Recently, I heard a seminar describing how sickle cell anemia can be corrected by genetic engineering and my own university is working hard to cure cystic fibrosis though genetic engineering.

 

I hope my answer is helpful.