Single enzyme responsible for gender-based plumage color differences in canaries

[PhysOrg]

A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in Portugal and the U.S. has found that a single enzyme is responsible for gender-based plumage color differences in mosaic canaries. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes narrowing their search for the factors involved in gender-based color differences in canaries and what they found. In the same journal issue, Nancy Chen with the University of Rochester has published a Perspective piece detailing the history of the study of gender-based color differences in birds, and outlines the work by the team in this new effort.

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