rs17822931
A SNP in the ABCC11 gene on chromosome 16. Its most notable genotype is T;T: Dry earwax. No body odour. Likely Asian ancestry. Reduced colostrum.
- Gene
- ABCC11
- Location
- Chr 1648,224,287 (GRCh38)
- Highest magnitude
- 2.5Worth knowing
- Tested on
- 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA
- Minor allele frequency
- 31%
Genotypes
As shown in 23andMe and AncestryDNA files.
- C;CNot ratedWet earwax. Normal body odour. Normal colostrum.
- C;TGoodWet earwax. Slightly better body odour.
- T;TMost notableGoodDry earwax. No body odour. Likely Asian ancestry. Reduced colostrum.
On SNPedia: (C;C), (C;T), (T;T). Magnitude rates how notable a genotype is from 0 to 10, not how risky it is.
Frequency
Share of each genotype in 11 HapMap populations.
- AverageC;C 60% C;T 14% T;T 25%
- European ancestry (Utah)C;C 76% C;T 23% T;T <1%
- Han Chinese (Beijing)C;C <1% C;T 7% T;T 92%
- Japanese (Tokyo)C;C 2% C;T 20% T;T 79%
- Yoruba (Nigeria)C;C 100% C;T 0% T;T 0%
- African ancestry (Southwest US)C;C 95% C;T 4% T;T 2%
- Chinese (Denver)C;C 2% C;T 14% T;T 84%
- Gujarati IndianC;C 40% C;T 44% T;T 17%
- Luhya (Kenya)C;C 98% C;T 2% T;T 0%
- Mexican ancestry (Los Angeles)C;C 72% C;T 25% T;T 4%
- Maasai (Kenya)C;C 98% C;T 2% T;T 0%
- TuscanC;C 80% C;T 18% T;T 2%
Related
Conditions, medicines and genes
Notes
From SNPedia
Show notes, about 310 words
rs17822931, also known as c.538G>A or G180R, is a SNP in the ATP-binding cassette, sub-family C (CFTR/MRP), member 11 ABCC11 gene. The ABCC11 protein helps transport small molecules across apical membranes such as those in apocrine secretory cells. This SNP determines wet vs dry earwax as well as sweat production, and it is also associated with lipid secretion. It is commonly (T;T) for East Asians and (C;C) for Europeans and Africans. A study of deodorant usage in a large (17,000+) population showed that rs17822931(T;T) individuals were at least 5-fold less likely to use deodorant, consistent with them being "genotypically nonodorous". Although not statistically significant, there was some evidence for a heterozygote effect, implying that individuals with a (C;C) genotype for this SNP were likely to use deodorant at a higher frequency than (C;T) genotypes. gnxp indicates this SNP influences risk of breast cancer in Japanese women. This does not hold true in Caucasian women, though. reddit discussion
C;C
This is normal for non-Asians. It makes ear-wax wet, sticky, and honey-coloured. It also produces colostrum for breast feeding. People with this gene need to use deodorant to avoid smelling bad, unlike some Asians.
C;T
Heterozygous for wet earwax. This makes earwax wet, sticky, and honey-coloured, which is normal for non-Asians. Being heterozygous slightly improves body odour and may slightly reduce colostrum production for breast feeding. People with this usually still need to use deodorant.
T;T
This is what causes most Asians to have dry flaky earwax instead of wet earwax. It is also what causes Asians to not have body odour and not need to use deodorant. It suggests Asian ancestry, although it can also occur in white people. Unfortunately it also reduces or prevents the production of colostrum when breast feeding.
Source and license
Adapted from rs17822931 on SNPedia, using a snapshot taken October 16, 2026. SNPedia content is shared under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US, and this page is shared under the same license.
SNPedia is a community-edited wiki. Its entries can be incomplete, out of date or wrong, and nothing here is a diagnosis or medical advice. Magnitude is a community rating of how interesting a genotype is, not a risk score.