This Month in Genetics

In human genetics, we tend to fixate on the negative effects of genetic variation. After all, how many stories about the “breast cancer gene” have you read? There is much more nuance to genetic variation, though, and genes are not all “bad.” Such is the case with GDF5, which encodes a growth differentiation factor. Although one could think of it as the gene for certain types of short-limbed dwarfism because th ese are the result of rare mutations in the gene, more common GDF5 variation can actually make you taller.
Source: The American Journal of Human Genetics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Editors' Corner Source Type: research