What is the Ken and Barbie gene?
by 
wickedwillie
ANSWERS: 1
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The "ken and barbie gene" was so named because, in studies of Drosophila fruit flies, mutations in that gene resulted in the genitalia being retained inside the body and no genitalia being externally visible at all. (Yes, geneticists do have a sense of humor -- kind of a twisted one, sometimes, but a sense of humor.) As far as I am aware, that particular gene does not have a close homolog in humans; humans have a transcription-factor gene which is roughly homologous, but it does not do exactly the same thing. For which humans are no doubt grateful, as a mutation at that locus with that effect would be rather unfortunate.
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