DNA Tells the Color of Your Hair

If you're planning to commit a crime (don't!), or if you're just curious about the performances of forensics science, know that Erasmus MC scientists, along with their Polish colleagues, have discovered that DNA can be used to predict people's probable hair color.

“That we are now making it possible to predict different hair colors from DNA represents a major breakthrough because, so far, only red hair color, which is rare, could be estimated from DNA,” said Professor Manfred Kayser, Chair of the Department of Forensic Molecular Biology at Erasmus MC, and leader of the study.

“For our research we made use of the DNA and hair color information of hundreds of Europeans and investigated genes previously known to influence the differences in hair color.
“We identified 13 'DNA markers' from 11 genes that are informative to predict a person's hair color.”

The results of their research, proved that on the basis of DNA information it is possible to determine whether a person has red hair – with an over 90% accuracy, whether someone has black hair – with a similar precision, and with an over 80% accuracy – whether someone has blond or brown hair.

What is rather amazing is that this new technique, even allows to tell the difference between red and copper hair, or even between blond and dark blond hair.

As for the DNA samples, it can be taken from anywhere – blood, sperm, saliva or any other biological materials relevant in forensics.

“This research lays the scientific basis for the development of a DNA test for hair color prediction,” said Professor Ate Kloosterman of the Department of Human Biological Traces at the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI).

“A validated DNA test system for hair color shall become available for forensic research in the not too distant future.

“These researchers have previously published articles on predicting eye color and estimating age on the basis of DNA material.

“This type of objective information can be used to refine the description of an unknown but wanted person.

“This new development results in an important expansion of the future DNA toolkit used by forensic investigators to track down unknown offenders.”

This study aimed at predicting the color of the hair on the head, but future studies will be necessary, for researchers to predict the color of body hair.

The findings will be published today in the Springer journal Human Genetics.