Researchers at the University of California are studying female feline genetics as it might help human beings with obesity. The researchers have been studying genes that are responsible for distinctive coat of female calico cats. Female mammals are said to have two copies of X-chromosomes, but they need only one.

Calico cats have black fur genes in one of their-X-chromosomes and orange in other one. As one of the X-chromosomes is turned off in each of the cells, the cat ends up having different colors on its coat.

This phenomenon has been studied by researchers to better understand missing chromosomes. Researcher Elizabeth Smith started research by knowing deactivation of one X chromosome will help in revealing about genetic control.

This led her team to know that gene activity can pass down without changing any DNA code. Smith is positive about knowing as if obesity is passed down for generations. The research findings may help other researchers as well as how one gene can be deactivated without hampering the DNA order.

Smith with other researchers has studied the DNA within the intact nucleus with the help of x-ray tomography. This helped them to get some high-resolution views and was able to find one chromosome, the quiet X-chromosome inside the cells.

When assessment was done, they got to know about huge variation of fundamental organization inside the chromosome. The images also led researchers to find the locations of certain genes inside the tangled network of DNA inside the nucleus.

Researchers are hopeful to do the same in humans. If the researchers succeed in the new technique, it can be used to know about sex-related genetic illnesses and also obesity can be stopped in its tracks.