Over 6,000 Genes Help Determine Body Weight
Researchers from the Monell Center have attempted to count the number of genes that contribute to obesity and body weight. Their results suggest that over 6,000 genes, which is about 25 percent of the genome, are involved in determining body weight.
To perform this study, the researchers examined the Jackson Laboratory Mouse Genome Database for information on body weights of knockout mouse strains.
Knockout mice have had a specific gene inactivated, or “knocked out.” By studying how the knockout mice differ from normal mice, researchers obtain information about that gene’s function and how it might contribute to disease. Mice can provide valuable information on human disease because they share many genes with humans.
The Monell survey revealed that body weight was altered in over a third of the viable knockout stains; 31 percent weighed less than controls (indicating that the missing genes contribute to heavier body weight), while another 3 percent weighed more (contributing to lighter weight).
Monell behavioral geneticist Michael G. Tordoff, PhD, an author on the study, states “It is interesting that there are 10 times more genes that increase body weight than decrease it, which might help explain why it is easier to gain weight than lose it.”
More information can be found here.
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