is only partially degraded by proteasomes. This effect is localized to ceruminous gland membranes. Because the adenine containing allele protein product is only partially degraded, the remaining functional protein is located on the cell surface membrane which ABCC11 gene's role in sweat odor is likely in part due to the quantitative dosage of ABCC11 protein. From an evolutionary perspective, the implications of cerumen type on fitness are unknown. However, odorless sweat in ancient Northern Eurasian populations has been postulated to have an adaptive advantage for cold weather. In some nonhuman mammals, mating signals via release of an odor enhanced by increased apocrine secretion may be a factor in sexual selection. Physical human traits that are controlled by a single gene are uncommon. Most human characteristics are controlled by multiple genes (polygenes); ABCC11 is a peculiar example of a gene with unambiguous phenotypes that is controlled by a SNP. Additionally, it is considered a pleiotropic gene. Demographics The history of the migration of humans can be traced back using the ABCC11 gene alleles. The variation between ear wax in ethnicities around the world are specifically due to the ABCC11 gene alleles. It is believed the allele originated in ancient East Asian population. The gene may have spread as a result of it being a beneficial adaption or through an evolutionary neutral mutation mechanism that went through genetic drift events, or through sexual selection. The frequency of alleles for dry ear wax is most concentrated in East- and Northeast Asia, most notably Korea, China, Mongolia, and Japan. The allele frequency is highest among northern Han Chinese and Koreans, followed by Mongolians, southern Han Chinese, and Yamato Japanese, respectively. The frequency is low among the Ryukyuans and Ainu. A downward gradient of dry ear wax allele phenotypes can be drawn from northern China to southern Asia and an east–west gradient can also be drawn from eastern Siberia to western Europe. The allele frequencies within ethnicities continued to be maintained because the ABCC11 gene is inherited as a haplotype, a group of genes or alleles that tend to be inherited as a single unit The amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ear wax was found to be related to variation in ABCC11 genotype, which in turn is dependent on ethnic origin. In particular, the rs17822931 genotype, which is especially prevalent in East Asians, is correlated with lower VOC levels. However, VOC levels were