BIOLOGY: race is an invalid concept

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Wed Sep 25 2002 - 07:33:58 MDT

I'm tired of the discussions of race/IQ/etc. lacking scientific "facts".

A PubMed search on "human pigmentation" reveals that skin/hair
color seem to be controlled by polymorphisms in the Melanocortin-1
receptor (MC1R) gene, e.g.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11041375&dopt=Abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11254446&dopt=Abstract

This is located on chromosome 16p24.3. You can browse the gene region here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/Entrez/maps.cgi?org=hum&chr=16&MAPS=gene,ugHs,loc-r&cmd=focus&fill=40&query=uid(3958

There are more than *20* allelic variants of the MC1R gene:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10537004&dopt=Abstract

The agouti protein may also be involved, e.g.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11833005&dopt=Abstract

This is located on chromosome 21q11.2-q12. You can browse the gene region here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/Entrez/maps.cgi?org=hum&chr=20&MAPS=gene,ugHs,loc-r&cmd=focus&fill=40&query=uid(419

The enzyme pathways producing the hormones that bind to the MC1R gene,
alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH) may have allelic variants as well.

It would appear that the actual production of the melanin polymer involves
at least three more genes: tyrosinase, TRP-1 and DCT. See:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9138477&dopt=Abstract

Some background discussions of skin pigmentation are here:

http://www.pigmentation.net/
http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Human_skin_color
http://www.cs.stevens-tech.edu/~elli/spie.pdf

Of course this is very interesting:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6100/1skincolorandtanning.html
 "In mice, more than 147 genes affect skin and hair color"!

So cite the data showing a close proximity between one of these genes
on the genome map and one or more of the genes responsible for
intelligence (or any other trait, like height, sports ability, etc.)
or stop using the term "race" -- it doesn't reflect reality.
Because "race" does not exist, the terms "racism" or "racist"
are invalid as well.

I think the terms one should use are "bigot" and "bigotry" (where
it involves intolerant attitudes towards a general class of people).

Robert

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