Skin color is highly variable in Africans, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using population genetics and functional genomics, we identified key genetic variants, regulatory elements and genes that affect skin pigmentation, an adaptive trait, which provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying human skin color diversity and evolution.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Jablonski, N. G. & Chaplin, G. Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV radiation. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 107, 8962–8968 (2010). This review underscores the correlation between human skin pigmentation and ultraviolet irradiation levels.
Feng, Y., McQuillan, M. A. & Tishkoff, S. A. Evolutionary genetics of skin pigmentation in African populations. Hum. Mol. Genet. 30, R88–R97 (2021). This review provides a comprehensive summary of genetic studies on African skin pigmentation.
Crawford, N. G. et al. Loci associated with skin pigmentation identified in African populations. Science 358, eaan8433 (2017). This article presents a GWAS of skin pigmentation in ethnically diverse Africans.
Fan, S. et al. Whole-genome sequencing reveals a complex African population demographic history and signatures of local adaptation. Cell 186, 923–939.e14 (2023). This article discusses African demographic history and genetic loci associated with local adaptations in African populations.
Sirugo, G., Williams, S. M. & Tishkoff, S. A. The missing diversity in human genetic studies. Cell 177, 26–31 (2019). This review emphasizes the importance of incorporating ethnically diverse populations in genetic studies.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Feng, Y. et al. Integrative functional genomic analyses identify genetic variants influencing skin pigmentation in Africans. Nat. Genet. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01626-1 (2024).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of skin color diversity in Africans. Nat Genet 56, 200–201 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01643-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01643-0