Definition:
A gene that encodes salivary amylase, an enzyme produced primarily in the salivary glands that begins the digestion of starch in the mouth by breaking it down into smaller carbohydrates. Humans vary considerably in the number of copies of the AMY1 gene they carry, and higher AMY1 copy number is generally associated with greater salivary amylase production. This variation has been investigated as a possible adaptation to differences in dietary starch consumption.
