Today’s genetics researchers navigate through DNA – the molecular instructions for life – almost as easily as we traverse a city aided by online maps. And the basic structure of their guiding maps, like ours, was drawn by pioneers exploring uncharted territory. Alfred Sturtevant – born on this day in 1891 – was one such molecular cartographer, and in 1913 made the first genetic map of a chromosome [tightly wound DNA bundles stored in our cells]. Having realised that genes [crucial DNA segments that code for particular functions] sit in order along chromosomes like stations on a train line, he devised a method for deducing the relative distance between them according to how frequently they were inherited together. Further research on fruit flies helped Sturtevant measure the distance between embryonic organs in a unit appropriately named the sturt, and he received the National Medal of Science in 1967 in recognition of a trailblazing career.
Written by Anthony Lewis
Image courtesy of the Archives, California Institute of Technology
Image copyright held by the Archive, California Institute of Technology. Reproduced with permission.
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COVID-19 Bill Would Scale Up Ability To Spot Virus Mutations
COVID-19 Bill Would Scale Up Ability To Spot Virus Mutations
COVID-19 Bill Would Scale Up Ability To Spot Virus Mutations
WASHINGTON (AP) – US scientists will gain greatly expanded capacity to identify potentially lethal mutations Coronavirus Under COVID-19 Relief Act in Congress.
The US now maps the genetic makeup of only a small fraction of positive virus samples, a situation some experts prefer to fly blind. This means that the true domestic…
The Human Genome Project is an international research effort to characterize the genomes of human and selected model organisms through complete mapping and sequencing of their deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. A relatively new field of research, bioinformatics  began in the 1960s with the efforts of Margaret O. Dayhoff and other noted researchers. A google report classifies it as a nebulous term…
When the whole human gene was successfully mapped, some academic arguments and propositions also show new breakthroughs. For example, the problem of where the origin of modern is. Scientists believe that the earliest human origins of the continents all around the world are locally, as Yuanmou Man, Lam Tin Man and Beijing Man found in Native China, are the evidence of early human origins in Asia. But when searching through the genome of human origin footsteps, the scientists then found no matter where the apes come from, their gene can be found in apes from Africa. Therefore, scientists came up with "out of Africa" hypothesis.
With the deepening of the study, scientists found that no matter the inherited mitochondrial DNA from the maternally or the inherited Y chromosome from the paternal have left with the traces of African ancestry. Moreover, there is evidence that human ancestors once went out of Africa to other parts to have intermarriage with local people.
What's more interesting, genomic research also allows scientists to realize that even in the same nationality, their genetic differs. Such as different human genes in the East River and West River Guangzhou area; despite the Han nationality accounts for over 90% of our population, genetic differences are great. This shows that Han nationality is not a purely national concept, but a multi-ethnic group with the gradual integration with years.
It is with this understanding that scientists have gradually discovered that genetic differences are caused by environmental influences. As in the Tibetan Plateau, Tibetan people were not native but migrated from the plains the past a few thousands of years to 20,000 years ago. Their gene changed in order to adapt the local environment of the plateau so that the body can be more adaptive to hypoxic metabolism. And this variant gene might be borrowed from the ancients, or borrowed by intermarriage.
In the process of continuous heredity, gene mutation and recombination, human body knocked out some seriously harmful genes. But modern science shows that there are exceptions. One exception is thalassemia-related genes. In the tropics, the disease incidence is higher. As we all know, this is genetic disease caused by genetic defects. The moderate and severe patients have shortened life. Then why didn't evolution abandon the genome? Further study revealed that these genes are capable to resist malaria in the tropics. Retaining this genome was the lesser of two evils.
P53 is the similar gene, the inactivation of which plays an important role in tumor formation. The strange thing is that while the fight against cancer, it also helps cancer cells repair injuries caused by chemotherapy drugs, which caused the condition that the repaired cancer cells become a new tumor after treatment. P53 doesn't disappear from human body, but continually increases due to the migration process of the human from south to north. Ultimately, the scientists found that although P53 is "noncommittal" to tumor, it can help people improve implantation chance under low temperature.
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A few years ago, the US Department of Energy’s Genomic Science Program produced a poster highlighting the loci (gene location) of hundreds of genetic conditions.
Unfortunately they had a very small supply, and this was quite a few years ago, so it has long since been out of stock. However, their website for the poster is still up, and they offer a high quality PDF file of the poster for download. I highly recommend checking it out.
They also have individual image files of each chromosome for easier legibility, which look something like this:
I only remembered this porter tonight when replying to a post about another science poster, but it occurred to me that the science side of tumblr might find it as neat as I do.
Source/credit: U.S. Department of Energy Genomic Science program's  Biological and Environmental Research Information System (BERIS). Their website states that permission to use these images is not needed however credit is requested. Website: http://genomicscience.energy.gov.
23andMe is a genetics company that was set up in 2006. It offers consumers the chance to map their genes using a saliva test that will tell them about their genealogy, their carrier status and their general wellness. It is a private company, and the test costs ÂŁ125. Anyone can have this test, and gain information about their genetics.
The name of the company refers to the 23 chromosomes that are usually found in a cell in the body (those with Down’s Syndrome have 24). The company takes a sample of their customers’ saliva and then provides them with information gained from their genes. This information comes in three categories – Genealogy, Carrier status and Wellness. The genealogy section contains information about your family history and ancestry – such as where in the world your genes originate. The wellness includes things like your caffeine consumption levels. The carrier status is the one the company is most known for – they will tell you whether you are a carrier of 36 genetic disorders including Cystic Fibrosis and Sickle Cell Anaemia.
There are several advantages to taking this test. First, it doesn’t cost very much, relatively speaking, so you have little to lose. In the UK, the cost is £125. This makes it affordable to a lot of people, not just the rich elite. As it is a saliva test, it is also painless. The kind of data that is collected can help medical researchers by providing genome mapping for the entire population. This will help medical researchers to identify what causes illnesses and therefore produce more effective medications.
The company insists, also, that it only shares your data with pharmaceutical companies if you allow them to, and that your data is highly protected and secure to ensure your anonymity and privacy. As of June, the company has had 1 million customers use its service.
But, there are negatives involved in the process. The collection of this data gives precedent for insurance companies using this data against you. When calculating how much to charge you for health or life insurance, the insurers may in the future use this kind of information to calculate your risk more accurately, leaving you at a loss if you are a carrier of a genetic disorder or have low general wellness. This may not be an issue now, but it is sure to cause problems in the future.
There is also the small chance of a data breach. While 23andMe has stated that they have put security measures in place, no security is infallible. It is possible that this information could be accessed, and used to expose people’s private medical information.
There is also potential harm for those who are prone to hypochondria. Having this in-depth information about your genetics can play up to one’s neuroses, causing anxiety and fear where it may not be necessary.
While 23andMe’s service may sound appealing, it is important that you consider all the consequences before deciding to take the test. 23andMe is not a good thing for everyone, but for some people it will give them valuable peace of mind.
First time ever | Mapping of all genes involved in embryo development!
First time ever | Mapping of all genes involved in embryo development!
An international team of scientists has for the first time mapped all the genes that are activated in the first few days of a fertilised human egg. Led by Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet, the researchers showed that the newly identified genes can interact with the “junk DNA” — essential to the start of development.
There are approximately 23,000 human genes in total.
