Genomic Future

Welcome to the not-so-distant future, where your genome is more public than your Wi-Fi password - and judged twice as harshly at Thanksgiving. Forget horoscopes or Myers-Briggs. Life's decisions are purely genetic now. “Sorry, can’t date a TAA-variant Pisces. It clashes with my mitochondria.” Dating apps match based on genetic quirks: “Seeking a lactose-loving cat enthusiast. Must carry recessive genes for humor and weak knee ligaments. No smokers or CRISPR enthusiasts, please.” Dinner parties become chaotic symphonies of dietary disclaimers. “No kale, sorry - activates my ancestral trauma gene. Also, quinoa triggers emotional detachment,” explains one guest, sipping almond milk perfectly calibrated for 'nutty yet supportive' taste receptors. “You're lucky,” replies another, crunching on carrots engineered to satisfy the chocolate-as-vegetable allele. “My doctor literally prescribed brownies for emotional stability.” Your smart home goes beyond convenience. The toilet r...

A recent study published in Nature by a team from Berkeley explored a novel mechanism involving IS110 elements that could be used for DNA editing like CRISPR. Another article in the same issue, by a team from Japan, revealed the cryo-electron microscopy structures of the IS110 recombinase complexed with bRNA, target DNA, and donor DNA and Showed the IS110 synaptic complex comprises two recombinase dimers, one for the target-binding loop (TBL) and the other for the donor-binding loop (DBL).  Evolution has equipped organisms with a plethora of enzymes dedicated to rearranging and diversifying the genome. These enzymes play crucial roles in the emergence and specialization of new genes, the development of immunity, and the spread of viruses and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). MGEs, which include transposons, integrases, homing endonucleases, and recombinases, are prevalent across all domains of life. They typically mobilize by recognizing specific DNA sequences, with target specificit...

A study  published today in Nature Genetics  has identified nine new candidate genes associated with diabetes. These genes play a role in the expression and movement of GLUT4, a key glucose transporter in muscle and fat cells that is responsible for glucose uptake after a meal. by author with ChatGPT and Bing Image Creator The research suggests that these genes affect the amount of GLUT4 found on the cell surface, which influences the cell's ability to remove glucose from the blood. Genetic susceptibility to diabetes has been a subject of intensive study for nearly five decades.   Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is believed to be triggered by an initial event followed by autoimmune destruction of pancreatic cells. The risk for monozygotic twins of patients with type 1A diabetes has been known to  not be 100% . The strongest genetic predictor of T1D risk is the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) association, particularly the genes in the HLA class I and class II regions (known ...

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous and revered composers in the history of music. Today researchers from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, the Institute for Archaeological Sciences at the University of Tübingen, and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany, published genomic analyses of hair samples from Beethoven himself, shedding new light on his genetic makeup and potential health conditions.  The study involved genomic analyses of eight locks of hair attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven, with researchers confirming the authenticity of five of them and sequencing Beethoven's genome to a high coverage of 24-fold. The findings revealed that Beethoven had a genetic predisposition for liver disease (polygenic risk score (PRS) placed him within the 96th risk percentile, he was homozygous for the variant consistently implicated as the most strongly associated locus for liver cirrhosis in GWASs, at rs738409 in PNPL...

Over the past 20 years, since the first draft of human genome sequence was released, genetic research has made tremendous strides, has had a major impact on our understanding of biology and disease, and continues to be a rapidly growing and exciting field.  As genetics shifted from the determination of monogenic disorders to focusing on the entire genome, it led to the identification of genetic risk factors for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders. Genetic variants that influence complex traits, such as intelligence, personality, and athletic ability, were also identified.  Behavior genetics experienced rapid advancement, and there has been an exponential increase in use of direct-to-consumer genetic feedback platforms. CRISPR/Cas9 emerged as a new tool with many potential applications, including gene therapy to treat human diseases.  Studies of epigenetics in gene expression led to the deve...