An international class of studying genetic variations : MAOA gene as an example

Abstract

In this Microbrew talk, a case of the experiment modules using MAOA and mitochondrial haplotype in DGIST, Korea will be shared. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene encodes an enzyme to catalyze monoamine neurotransmitters, and one of its regulatory elements, upstream variable number of tandem repeat (uVNTR), is known to be associated with personality, especially aggression. Interestingly, previous researches reported that different population groups have different distribution of MAOA uVNTR, and sometimes different genotype-phenotype relationships. Does it mean that different ethnic groups are determined to have different aggressiveness? Why don’t we study together globally to address this issue? Our students have simple and predictable genetic distributions. It is difficult to estimate the result if we expand this project worldwide. However, it is expected that participating students will learn a textbook message, uneasy relationship of genotype-phenotype, by analyzing their own genes.