Only 1% of the world's population has red hair. It is caused by a recessive variation in the MCR1 gene that codes for hair color. In 1–2 sentences, explain how this variation could have formed in ancestral DNA, and how it has led to red hair through viable errors. (2 points)

Answer 1

The variation in the MCR1 gene, which results in red hair, likely formed through random mutations in ancestral DNA that provided an advantageous trait for survival and reproduction in specific environments, such as areas with lower sunlight where lighter skin helped with vitamin D synthesis. Over generations, this recessive mutation persisted and spread through populations due to genetic drift and the mating patterns of individuals carrying the variant, leading to the current prevalence of red hair among 1% of the world's population.