Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Large-Scale Multi-Omics Genome-Wide Association Studies Mo-GWAS: Guidelines for Sample Preparation and Normalization
Published on: July 27, 2021
Genome-wide association study in 176,678 Europeans reveals genetic loci for tanning response to sun exposure
Alessia Visconti1, David L Duffy2, Fan Liu3,4,5
1Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
Abstract:
The skin's tendency to sunburn rather than tan is a major risk factor for skin cancer. Here we report a large genome-wide association study of ease of skin tanning in 176,678 subjects of European ancestry. We identify significant association with tanning ability at 20 loci. We confirm previously identified associations at six of these loci, and report 14 novel loci, of which ten have never been associated with pigmentation-related phenotypes. Our results also suggest that variants at the AHR/AGR3 locus, previously associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma the underlying mechanism of which is poorly understood, might act on disease risk through modulation of tanning ability.
Related Concept Videos
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Genomics
Genetics of Speciation
What is Genetic Engineering?
Genome Size and the Evolution of New Genes
Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

