遗传学与基因治疗杂志

Widows Peak: No Significant Gender Bias in Expression of this Morphogenetic Character in Concern to Rigid Social Structure in India

Patil SS and Bachute SP

Widow’s peak, a V shaped extension of hair follicle on forehead of men and women, is a morphogenetic trait. Expression of this trait is governed by genes. Nature influence the expression of character through natural selection, migration genetic drift etc. Similarly this creates interest to know whether the social factors influence expression of genes. In a country like, India, where rigid social structure with restricted marriages can restrict gene for a particular community. The sample survey made to check whether widows peak predominantly express or not at Sholapur, India. Widow’s peak was found to be hardly 46.15% of male and 49.35% of female individuals from sample. Widow’s peak is found in 48.64% of the sample total individuals surveyed. It means the character was not expressed in 50% of the population. These results and research contribution of others from different parts of the world with similar conclusion creates a doubt over dominancy of widows peak. If the widow’s peak is controlled by one pair of allele and if it follows Mendelian pattern of inheritance and frequency of dominant allele should be more than recessive allele or expression of it may be influenced by social factors