One tall gene
By Brian Vastag
Call the National Basketball Association. Scientists report finding a gene for height.
The gene, HMGA2, comes in two versions. On average, adults with two copies of the “tall” version tower almost a centimeter over those with two copies of the “short” version. Adults with one copy of each version fall in between.
Past studies of twins pegged variation in height to be about 90 percent genetic. Diet and other unknown environmental factors account for the rest of the variation.