As if any more evidence was needed, researchers from Oxford University who have been studying aspects of wizarding genes, found that evidence points to Harry Potter descending from a magical bloodline. The Telegraph has a fun look this evening at ‘an analysis of wizardry’ study on the genetics of wizards from the Harry Potter novels. Their aim is to study wizard lineage in hopes to “address the heritability of magic.” They have found, and have published in the British Medical Journal, that magical ability could indeed be passed down from generation to generation. Basing its research on elements of the story contained in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” in addition to the first six books in the series, such as information on various family lineages including the Blacks, Gaunts, and Weasleys, the study goes into great detail on the topic. Dr. Knight, a Senior Researcher from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, says of this project:
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows provides a lot of valuable information about magical families that strongly suggests a role for genetic factors.
“For example, magic exists in at least seven generations of the Black family and at least three generations in others. We also see twins – the Patil and Weasley twins – with the same magical abilities.”
The article details their findings, which, in part, contradict a previous study of wizard genes which ‘claimed magical abilities depend on a recessive version of a gene: all wizards and witches thus have two copies of the wizard “W” gene, distinguishing it from the ordinary M, or Muggle, version.’ TLC referenced this study here in 2005. Todays new Oxford-based study, however, builds upon the formers findings and says (with mildly spoilerific details in tow):
Rather than being all down to one gene, they believe enchanted skills can vary across a spectrum of strength, depending on the combined influence of a dominant gene for magic, which is turned on or off depending on epigenetic effects, and modified by the influence of a number of genes, along with the environment.
There appear to be three magical skills that are conferred by specific genes. “One of these is the capability to speak to snakes (parseltongue), known to be only a feature of those who are direct descendants of Slytherin.
Another is to be a seer; Sybill Trelawney, although not perfect, has this ability, and her great-great-grandmother was also extremely gifted in this respect.
Lastly, being a metamorphmagus (the ability to change one’s physical appearance) is an ability that Nymphadora Tonks passed on to her son,” says the BMJ paper.
While this hypothesis may only be based on the fictional world of author J. K. Rowling’s creation, the researchers still wait for a full analysis of a wizard’s genetic code in the future, and conclude: “magic shows strong evidence of heritability.”
I wonder if wizard genes have a special pocket for keeping your wand? Oh, wait, that’s wizard jeans!
Posted by Ravenclaw from Glenn on December 21, 2007, 04:55 AM
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If I may completely geek out on this topic for a moment:
[GEEK]
I think magical ability would probably be controlled by at least two genes. It might be that one set of genes suppresses another set. This, at least, may explain Muggle-borns. They may have ‘wizarding genes’ in their family, but they also carry another set of genes that suppresses, covers up, or in some way nullifies those genes. In a witch or wizard whose parents are Muggles, that second set of genes would be mutated, so its effects turn off, allowing the underlying wizard alleles to be expressed.
That second set of genes might actually be recessive (needing two alleles to take effect – which would account for why magic genes will out) but just very well represented in the general population – like type O blood. In the pureblood population, that gene would naturally be all but absent, and a rare pairing of two carriers, or a far less common mutation might account for Squibs.
This is actually similar to the genetics of red hair. Many people have genetic coding to make red hair colour, but they also have genes that convert the ‘red’ melanin (melanin gives hair [and skin, and eyes…] its colour) into melanin on the brown spectrum. People with red hair don’t have that gene, so their hair stays red. It’s interesting that the article mentions MCR1, because … that’s actually the gene involved in this process.
Oh, also, you know how some people have blonde hair when they’re children, and it turns darker as they get older? That’s down to gene expression as well, and a similar process may account for why someone like Neville wouldn’t start showing magical ability until later than others.
In any event, I doubt it would be as simple as a Mendelian ‘either or’.
[/GEEK]
How does this help us understand muggle-borns? Are they really the children of wizards whose magical ability on the spectrum of strength was too low to be ordinarily detected?
Im sorry, but this seems to be a complete waste of valuable research time and money. Instead of curing cancer, we a learning about wizard genes in a fictional book. Harry Potter is made up, NOT REAL!!!! I mean I love the books and movies, but this is completly nuts. I think people who are doing this need a big reality check and quick because they are 5 seconds from looney-town. Seriously, this is incredible that any research team would back this theory when it has no plausible real-life application and never will… Wizards Aren’t Real… IT IS A FREAKING BOOK!!!!
wow,it’s so cool.at oxford uni too!am glad that jkr’s extensive work on potter series is appeciated much even by such a prestigious uni enough to research upon.it’s amazing how much her work can be looked into and dissected to the pt it becomes research material can later printed in med. journals.
Stacie, While I can understand your concern over the cure of cancer I am sure these people are not wasting serious time and funds on wizarding genetics. Its just a hobby. Like we as fans have HP as a hobby. I actually have a friend that is a professional gentics researcher and have talked to him about this(he is a huge HP fan). His thoughtrs reflect a lot that was said in the article. I can assure you he is not wasting time and funds that are preventing the cure from cancer happening thinking about this. Just like most humans he dosn’t think and breathe his job 24×7 and is allowed to have a little fun sometimes. Forbes just listed that richest 15 fictional characters. Sure they can research 24 7 on ways to end world hunger but people need to have a little fun sometimes. Relax.
So metamorphagy must be ressisive and both Remus Lupin, Andromada Tonks and Ted Tonks must all be carriers of this gene – Which means their genotype would be M,m.
Remus Lupin would have to be hetrozygous for non-metamorphagy because we can figure out due to neither Andromada or Ted being metamorphic but their daughter Nymphadora is metamorphic the metmorphigy is ressesive. This is determinded because if Metamorphagy was domintate it would have to be expresed in both Ted and Andromada.
We can figure out the Remus Lupin is hetorzygous (has the gene, but it is not expressed because he has the dominate non-metamorphic gene which over powers the metamorphic gene) because their son is metamorphic which means two ressesive genes, one form each parent, would have to have been present.
Which means one of Remus Lupins ancestors must have been metamorphic, so had one Tonks.
But metaphorphagy must only come ino effect if the Wizard allele of the Magic gege is present. This is like Male Patterened Baldness, which is only expressed in males which is when the X (male) allele of the sex gene is present.
Thats so very very cool!