The SLC24A5 gene, the human orthologue of the zebrafish golden gene, has been 
shown to play a key role in human pigmentation. In this study, we investigate 
the prevalence of the variant allele rs1426654 in a selected sample of Greek 
subjects. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction was performed in peripheral 
blood samples from 158 attendants of a dermatology outpatient service. The 
results were correlated with pigmentary traits and MC1R genotype. The vast 
majority of subjects (99%) were homozygous for the Thr(111) allele. Only two 
subjects from the control group (1.26%) were heterozygous for the alanine and 
threonine allele. Both of these Thr(111)/Ala(111) heterozygotes carried a single 
polymorphism of MC1R (one with the V92M variant and another with the V60L 
variant). Following reports of the rs1426654 polymorphism reaching fixation in 
the European population, our study of Greek subjects showed a prevalence of the 
Thr(111) allele, even among subjects with darker skin pigmentation or phototype.