Beach Mouse

Question 1

authors

Answer 1

Hoekstra et al. (unimportant?)

Question 2

Hypothesis

Answer 2

“we link a single mutation in the coding region of a pigmentation gene to adaptive quantitative variation in the wild.” aka There is this one gene that accounts for about 30% of pigmentation variation in florida’s gulf coast mice.

Question 3

Mc1r

Answer 3

Melanocortin-1 receptor. Before this study, it was shown to be important for the produciton of pigment in the skin and hair. It is a receptor embedded in the cell membrane… chemical reactions involving it decide how much light or dark pigment to make.

Question 4

Charge-changing amino acid variant

Answer 4

One amino acid is substituted for another (due to a mutation in the DNA within an exon) that changes the charge of that amino acid.