Understanding Genetic Differences and Hair Pigmentation

The video explores the genetic differences that lead to ginger hair, focusing on the MC1R gene on chromosome 16. It compares brown and ginger hair under a microscope, highlighting the pigments eumelanin and pheomelanin. The video explains how a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) can result in ginger hair and discusses the prevalence of SNPs in the human genome, emphasizing the insignificance of such minor genetic differences in defining individuals.

What was often the subject of jokes for the speaker during their younger years?

• Their accent

• Their Christmas jumper

• Their height

• Their ginger hair

What is the primary visual difference between the brown and ginger hair under a microscope?

• The length of the hair

• The thickness of the hair

• The darkness of the hair

• The texture of the hair

Which gene is responsible for controlling the type of pigment produced in hair?

• TP53

• APOE

• MC1R

• BRCA1

What type of pigment is abundant in ginger hair?

• Eumelanin

• Pheomelanin

• Carotene

• Melatonin

How many base pairs are in the MC1R gene that can lead to ginger hair?

• 850

• 954

• 1024

• 1000

What is the term for alternate versions of a gene with a single spelling difference?

• Mutations

• SNPs

• Chromosomes

• Alleles

Approximately how many single nucleotide polymorphisms exist in the human genome?

• 6 million

• 60,000

• 60 million

• 600,000

What is the significance of most single nucleotide polymorphisms?

• They determine eye color

• They cause diseases

• They are invisible and do not affect appearance

• They change physical appearance

What is the total number of base pairs in the human genome?

• 10 billion

• 5 billion

• 1 billion

• 3 billion

Why does the speaker find it unreasonable to mock someone for having ginger hair?

• Because it is due to a minor genetic difference

• Because it is a rare genetic mutation

• Because it is a fashionable hair color

• Because it is a common hair color