Suzy from Oz

Hi, Suzy! I prefer to think that we blue-eyed people are UNIQUE, not mutants!

People with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor, according to new research.

A team of scientists has tracked down a genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. The mutation occurred between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, so before then, there were no blue eyes.

"Originally, we all had brown eyes," said Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Copenhagen.

The mutation affected the so-called OCA2 gene, which is involved in the production of melanin, the pigment that gives color to our hair, eyes and skin.

"A genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a 'switch,' which literally 'turned off' the ability to produce brown eyes," Eiberg said.

The genetic switch is located in the gene adjacent to OCA2 and rather than completely turning off the gene, the switch limits its action, which reduces the production of melanin in the iris. In effect, the turned-down switch diluted brown eyes to blue.

If the OCA2 gene had been completely shut down, our hair, eyes and skin would be melanin-less, a condition known as albinism.

"It's exactly what I sort of expected to see from what we know about selection around this area," said John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, referring to the study results regarding the OCA2 gene. Hawks was not involved in the current study.

Baby blues
Eiberg and his team examined DNA from mitochondria, the cells' energy-making structures, of blue-eyed individuals in countries including Jordan, Denmark and Turkey. This genetic material comes from females, so it can trace maternal lineages.

They specifically looked at sequences of DNA on the OCA2 gene and the genetic mutation associated with turning down melanin production.

Over the course of several generations, segments of ancestral DNA get shuffled so that individuals have varying sequences. Some of these segments, however, that haven't been reshuffled are called haplotypes. If a group of individuals shares long haplotypes, that means the sequence arose relatively recently in our human ancestors. The DNA sequence didn't have enough time to get mixed up.

"What they were able to show is that the people who have blue eyes in Denmark, as far as Jordan, these people all have this same haplotype, they all have exactly the same gene changes that are all linked to this one mutation that makes eyes blue," Hawks said in a telephone interview.

Melanin switch
The mutation is what regulates the OCA2 switch for melanin production. And depending on the amount of melanin in the iris, a person can end up with eye color ranging from brown to green. Brown-eyed individuals have considerable individual variation in the area of their DNA that controls melanin production. But they found that blue-eyed individuals only have a small degree of

Gnats vs. parasites is leaving me with a head scratching quandry. Were the gnats the team with the orange and green stripe jersey or the green jersey with the purple stripes? You've got me at a loss with this one.

Thank you Suzy for your comment on my painting hope to hear from you again soon...

Cheers Suzy, you have yourself a drying kinda day too!
BTW You look fabulous as a page-turner.
Catch you around, maybe in the chatroom sometime this weekend.

Hi, Suzy thanks for dropping into my page. I have been around but a lot of people from chat have had computer problems. So there was a couple of days there where there was not much happening in chat. Hope to see you in there soon.

WOOHOO you. Meatloaf no less. You know, I've never cooked meatloaf!
Congratulations on passing the 'smells good', 'tastes good' tests.
I expect to see the receep on the recipe page very soon so we mere mortals may aspire to follow in your culinary footsteps.

Well did not think i would have the chance to see you so soon... for the wishes...

Hi ya Suzy, great talking to you too.
Would take a hell of lot more to offend me, but keep trying. I couldn't get the gist of what you and the others were talking about and had nothing intelligent to say myself! Are you coming to the Qld gathering? Talk soon and take care.
Broni & Bella

Happy Valentines Day to you too

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY HAVE A GOOD ONE...FILLED WITH

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY SUZY!!

Hi Suzy. for the birthday wishes. Hope you have a great St Valentine's Day.

That's some good mothering there Suzy!

Pass on my congrats to D2 for her amazing performance.

Suzy, hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Gday Suzy, hadn't noticed you around for a couple of days so I just thought I'd poke my nose in and check all's well.
Take care, and don't do too much cooking if you can help it!

Thanks for the Valentines day wishes. Hope you were treated well that dat with roses and chocolates. Sorry I have been so long in reponding. Been a bit busy lately.

SUZY, thanks for checking in on me and for the BIG wishes! I took Lynda's advice, to stop standing around in the kitchen. I got my rolling chair from the sewing room, and now sit about the kitchen to fling food!! Slow, but it works. Not making much progress with the hip, still hurts to stand on it, but this too shall pass.

Today I have joined my kitties, sleeping away the day. It is rainy, and good kitties know this is a day to curl up in a basket (my basket for storing bills is the current favorite) and sleep the day away. Nope, no basket for me, I prefer my recliner, between naps in bed. almost time for my afternoon nap now, so catch you later, and again, thank you for checking on me.

for the Birthday wishes

Suzy for the birthday wishes. Please share the cake and candles with me (there are plenty of them)

Suzy, I need help with the cake. My son is 21 on Saturday so we will be having more cake, hen Sunday is Mothers Day so will probably be given a cake for that too I need all the help I can get

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/mothers.htm
The above link will explain why we have mothers day, or to give it its correct name Mothering Sunday,so early.
Andrew doesn't want a big party for his 21st, we will probably go out for a family meal and then he will go out with his friends.
Three years ago when he was 18, daughter Elaine was 21 and I was 50, all within three weeks, we had a big big party all together.

Thank you, Suzy, for the birthday wishes!

Suzy, hope you are feeling much better, it takes a while to regain the energy after a hyster.
Ethan is doing much better and growing like a weed. he is very interactive with us all now and we get lots of smiles. still a chucker but hopefully he will grow out of that and he still gets a bit choked up with the mucous but as he gets bigger he is improving at getting rid of it.
always a worry when babies are ill as you feel helpless sometimes to fix the problem.
cheers
rosemary

Hi Suzy...Thanks for the visit and help with the quiz. Its fun and I am glad others have also enjoyed it. Hope all continues to improve for you and life can again be enjoyed to the fullest.

Hi Suzy,
Thanks for your message on my page. It was there to welcome me back after a few days on an away-break in London. I shall be visiting the Sudoku pages soon but right now I am a bit busy getting back to normal.

Happy Anniversary Suzy and Mr.S!

Happy Anniversary to you and you significant other Suzy! Enjoy today and many more in the future! Happy St. Pat's Day as well!

Happy 18th Wedding Anniversary SUZY and MR SUZY !!

Ditto from me!

Happy Anniversary Suzy and Mr Suzy

All the best for the job too.

Hi Suzy,
That painting is wonderful.
Congrats to you for uploading the photo.
And congrats to your Mum for such a vibrant painting.

Ditto what Cyn said!

Suzy...The painting is wonderful...thanks for hanging in there and getting it on site for the world to see. Great job all around.

lovely painting Suzy.. tell your mum she has done a great job.

What Gail said ...and...YAY!

Love your mum's painting. Good for you for succeeding to post it ...on your page.

Hi Suzy I think your Mum's painting is fabulous. Sorry for not visiting before this to make up for it leaving you some from our area and some to brighten your day. cheers.

Suzy, thanks for the Happy Anniversary wishes. It was our 20th, but it doesn't seem like it's been that long.

Hi Suzy,

Thanks for the birthday wishes! And thanks for visiting. Have a lovely day.

Jenn

Suzy - Ian has a plane on his you tube. It's like flying, though I hadn't flown such a big one.