Genetics – Lifeboat News: The Blog

Jan 25
2019

AI Finds Traces of a Lost Species in Human DNA

Buried deep within the DNA of Asian individuals is a genetic clue pointing to the existence of an unknown human ancestor. Remarkably, it wasn’t a human who reached this startling conjecture, but rather an artificially intelligent algorithm. Welcome to archaeology in the 21st century.

New research published last week in Nature Communications suggests a yet-to-be discovered hominid interbred with modern humans tens of thousands of years ago. This mystery species eventually went extinct, but an AI developed by researchers from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE) and several other European institutions found traces of its existence in the DNA of present-day people with Asian ancestry. A press release issued by the Centre for Genomic Regulation said it’s the first time deep learning has been used to explain human history, “paving the way for this technology to be applied in other questions in biology, genomics and evolution.”

Jan 25
2019

New Technique Could Put Electricity-Producing Bacteria To Work

How might the process be used in the future?

Due to advancements in genetic engineering, the researchers say they&s;re able to reprogram bacteria and create mutations in cell surfaces with “vast diversity.”

“By combining genetic tools (for creating mutations) with our microfluidic screening (for selection), we have the vision to mutate cells and then pick out the best candidates for electron transfer.”

Jan 25
2019

Genetic Mutations In Our Bodies Might Be Less Random Than We Thought, Scientists Say

Well…

(you thought).

A study of thousands of human genomes reveals where mutations happen most often when our parents’ genes combine.

Jan 25
2019

The best experts, books, and resources on Crispr

Looking for the latest on Crispr? Here is all you need to know to keep knowing about the disruptive gene-editing technology.

Jan 25
2019

Chinese Scientists Cloned Gene-Edited Monkeys With Horrifying Results

The monkeys exhibited anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia-like behaviors.

Jan 25
2019

A high-carb diet may explain why Okinawans live so long

A very good article on the studies on centenarians of Okinawa, on the importance of carbohydrate / protein ratio in diet, genes, calorie restriction and more: “… Genetic good fortune could be one important factor. Thanks to the geography of the islands, Okinawa’s populations have spent large chunks of their history in relative isolation, which may has given them a unique genetic profile. Preliminary studies suggest this may include a reduced prevalence of a gene variant – APOE4 – that appears to increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s. They may also be more likely to carry a protective variant of the FOXO3 gene involved in regulating metabolism and cell growth. This results in a shorter stature but also appears to reduce the risk of various age-related diseases, including cancer. Even so, it seems unlikely that good genes would fully explain the Okinawans’ longevity, and lifestyle factors will also be important…”

Emerging evidence suggests a 10:1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins may protect the body from the ravages of ageing.

Jan 25
2019

DIY CRISPR: Genetic Engineering at Home

You can now perform CRISPR gene-editing in your kitchen!

Jan 23
2019

Gene Drives Work in Mice (if They’re Female)

Biologists have demonstrated for the first time that a controversial genetic engineering technology works, with caveats, in mammals.

Jan 23
2019

It’s the End of the Gene As We Know It

We’ve all seen the stark headlines: “Being Rich and Successful Is in Your DNA” (Guardian, July 12); “A New Genetic Test Could Help Determine Children’s Success” (Newsweek, July 10); “Our Fortunetelling Genes” make us (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 16); and so on.

The problem is, many of these headlines are not discussing real genes at all, but a crude statistical model of them, involving dozens of unlikely assumptions. Now, slowly but surely, that whole conceptual model of the gene is being challenged.

We have reached peak gene, and passed it.

Jan 22
2019

Chinese scientist who gene-edited babies fired

A Chinese scientist who created what he said were the world’s first “gene-edited” babies evaded oversight and broke ethical boundaries in a quest for fame and fortune, state media said on Monday, as his former university said he had been fired.

He Jiankui said in November that he used a gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born that month, sparking an international outcry about the ethics and safety of such research.

Hundreds of Chinese and international scientists condemned He and said any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was unethical.