ABCC11 rs17822931 is one of the clearest common DNA-trait associations. In the original earwax study, A/A matched dry earwax, while A/G and G/G matched wet earwax. The same variant is also written as c.538G>A or p.Gly180Arg in common ABCC11 transcripts.

A/A also lowers several odor precursors released by apocrine sweat glands. It does not eliminate every source of underarm odor. A later study still detected noticeable odor in A/A participants, and all genotypes produced odor-forming short-chain fatty acids.

To know your ABCC11 result, search for rs17822931 first. On the GRCh38 chromosome sequence, the change is C>T. On the ABCC11 transcript, it is G>A because the gene is read from the reverse strand. A consumer file may therefore show C/C, C/T, or T/T instead of G/G, G/A, or A/A.

What ABCC11 does

ABCC11 encodes ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 11, a transporter protein. NCBI places the gene on chromosome 16q12.1 and describes it as part of the ABC transporter family. These proteins help move molecules across membranes.

The rs17822931 A allele replaces glycine with arginine at protein position 180. Laboratory work found that the Arg180 protein does not mature normally and is rapidly broken down by the cell's proteasome. Less transporter reaches the secretory structures involved in earwax and apocrine odor-precursor release.

The variant people usually mean

The common ABCC11 variant is rs17822931. In transcript notation it is often written c.538G>A, and at the protein level it changes glycine at position 180 to arginine. The earwax study reported this pattern:

Transcript genotypeGRCh38 plus strandExpected earwaxExplanation
A/AT/TDryTwo low-function c.538A copies; dry earwax is recessive.
G/AC/TWetOne c.538G copy is usually enough for wet earwax.
G/GC/CWetTwo c.538G copies.

Many consumer files use the genomic plus strand, but providers can use different conventions. Match the rsID first and confirm the provider's documentation before applying this mapping.

Dry earwax and body odor

Underarm odor comes from sweat gland secretions and skin bacteria. ABCC11 affects some of the precursor molecules secreted by apocrine glands. Bacteria can then convert those precursors into odor compounds.

A biochemical study found a near loss of several typical odor components in people with A/A. Secretion of amino-acid conjugates was absent, and several steroidal odorants and their precursors were lower.

Another study found the limit of that effect: A/A participants still produced noticeable underarm odor, and every genotype produced odor-forming short-chain fatty acids. Skin bacteria and other odor pathways also affected the observed odor profile.

Is ABCC11 the no body odor gene?

No. A/A usually means less of a specific group of apocrine odor precursors, not an absence of body odor. The genotype does not measure hygiene, infection, hormone status, sweat volume, skin bacteria, or odor from other parts of the body.

How to know your ABCC11 gene result

If you have a raw DNA file, search for rs17822931. Then check:

  • The reported genotype and the allele orientation used by the testing service.
  • The genome build, because genomic coordinates can change between builds.
  • The transcript notation if the report gives HGVS, such as c.538G>A.
  • The source file type, because a SNP array may include this site while another file may omit it.
  • Call quality, if the file provides quality fields.

If rs17822931 is missing from a file, that does not mean the person lacks the variant. It may mean the test did not assay that position, the position did not pass quality filters, or the file format omitted it.

What the result does not tell you

Allele frequencies differ among populations, but rs17822931 cannot establish a person's ancestry. Wet and dry earwax are normal inherited traits.

A consumer raw-data call does not diagnose axillary osmidrosis, explain a new change in body odor, or determine whether someone needs treatment. New or unexplained symptoms need clinical evaluation based on the symptom itself.

How Gene Inspector Pro looks deeper

Gene Inspector Pro can show whether rs17822931 was directly observed, how the file reports its alleles, and whether the call passed available quality checks. It also connects the DNA change to p.Gly180Arg, population frequency, and the evidence for protein degradation and altered gland secretions.

A useful ABCC11 review answers four separate questions:

  • Was rs17822931 tested, or is it simply missing from the file?
  • Which strand and allele convention does the file use?
  • Does the genotype support wet or dry earwax and lower specific odor precursors?
  • Is the question about a harmless trait or a symptom that needs clinical review?

rs17822931 is not the only ABCC11 change linked to dry earwax. The original study also found a rare 27-base-pair deletion in a small number of people. Detecting changes like this depends on the file type and coverage, another reason not to reduce the whole gene to one array marker.

Review checklist

QuestionWhat to checkWhy it matters
Do I have the ABCC11 result?Search for rs17822931 and confirm allele orientation.Raw files can report alleles differently from transcript notation.
Does dry earwax prove no body odor?No. It supports lower levels of several apocrine odor precursors.A/A participants can still produce noticeable odor and other odor-forming compounds.
Is wet earwax a problem?No. Wet earwax is a common inherited trait.The genotype is not a disease label.
Can this explain a medical symptom?Do not use ABCC11 alone for diagnosis or treatment.Medical concerns need clinical context and appropriate testing.
What if the variant is missing?Check file type, coverage, and whether the test included the site.Missing from a file is not the same as absent from the genome.

Related review pages

For file limits, compare SNP arrays with WGS and WES files. For variant interpretation basics, read what a missense variant is, allele frequency and MAF in variant review, and how to read the gene page.

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