Daily Archives: June 26, 2023

The tomb of Clytemnestra at Mycenae. Credit: Jean Housen /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0

DNA evidence proves that Greeks are indeed descendants of the Mycenaeans, who ruled mainland Greece and the Aegean Sea from 1,600 BC to 1,200 BC.

The evidence comes from a well-publicized 2017 study in which scientists analyzed the genes from the teeth of nineteen people across various archaeological sites within mainland Greece and Crete.

Those included ten Minoans from Crete dating from 2900 B.C.E. to 1700 BCE, four Mycenaeans from the archaeological site at Mycenae and other cemeteries on the Greek mainland dating from 1700 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E., and five people from other early farming or Bronze Age (5400 B.C.E. to 1340 B.C.E.) cultures in Greece and Turkey.

By comparing 1.2 million letters of genetic code, the researchers, who published their study in the journal, Nature, were able to plot how the individuals were related to each other.

After comparing the DNA of modern Greeks to ancient Mycenaeans, a genetic overlap was discovered that suggests that these ancient Bronze Age civilizations laid the genetic groundwork for later peoples.

The continuity between the Mycenaeans and living people is particularly striking given that the Aegean has been a crossroads of civilizations for thousands of years, said co-author George Stamatoyannopoulos of the University of Washington in Seattle.

This suggests that the major components of the Greeks ancestry were already in place in the Bronze Age after the migration of the earliest farmers from Anatolia set the template for the genetic makeup of Greeks and, in fact, most Europeans.

The spread of farming populations was the decisive moment when the major elements of the Greek population were already provided, says archaeologist Colin Renfrew of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, who was not involved in the work.

One aspect that was revealed in the study was how the Mycenaeans themselves were closely related to the Minoan civilization, which flourished on the island of Crete from 2,000 BC to 1,400 BC.

Both cultures were shown to carry genes for brown hair and brown eyes, characteristics that are reflected on their frescoes and pottery despite having different languages.

The ancient Mycenaeans and Minoans were most closely related to each other, and they both got three-quarters of their DNA from early farmers who lived in Greece and southwestern Anatolia, which is now part of Turkey, the team reports today in Nature.

Both cultures additionally inherited DNA from people from the eastern Caucasus near modern-day Iran, suggesting an early migration of people from the east after the early farmers settled there but before Mycenaeans split from Minoans.

The Mycenaeans did have an important difference: They had some DNA4 percent to 16 percentfrom northern ancestors who came from Eastern Europe or Siberia.

According to Harvard population geneticist Iosif Lazaridis, any difference between the two civilizations suggests that a second wave of people came to mainland Greece from Eastern Europe but were unable to reach the island of Crete. In time they became known as the Mycenaeans.

Swedish Archaeologist Kristian Kristiansen at the University of Gothenburg commented on the significance of the study recently, saying that The results have now opened up the next chapter in the genetic history of western Eurasiaand that of the Bronze Age Mediterranean.

Read more:
Greeks Are Descendants of the Mycenaeans, DNA Study Confirms - Greek Reporter

Maury Povich the renowned TV host known for revealing the results of paternity tests on his show has taken his shtick a step further by launching his own at-home DNA paternity test company.

The new business, which Povich is cleverly calling The Results Are In, aims to provide families with an accessible solution to the questions he used to explore on his show.

During an appearance on TMZ Live, Povich highlighted the practical benefits the company offers beyond simply determining the birth father.

Maury Povich (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

We can unite families, Povich said, adding that the tests allow for a more seamless process than court-ordered paternity tests and can address the question of child support in a more timely manner. The process also eliminates the need for medical professionals, streamlining the testing procedure for families.

Now we have a test that brings the truth home, he added.

The testing kits provide all the necessary materials and instructions for individuals to collect DNA samples themselves. Once the samples are obtained, they are sent to a reputable lab at DNA Diagnostics Center for analysis.

Povichs company also guarantees confidential results in 2-3 business days, as well as a 99.99% accuracy rate.

Ive seen firsthand how DNA testing can change lives and bring families together, Povich continued, in a statement to TMZ. With The Results Are In, were making it easier and more affordable than ever before for people to get the answers they need.

After 31 seasons, Povichs daytime talk show Maury wrapped its final episodes last summer.

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Maury Povich launching at-home DNA paternity test, 'The Results Are In' - New York Daily News

BOISE, Idaho Tuesday, Idaho News 6 reported on the release of DNA information in the investigation of Bryan Kohberger, charged with the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students.

The affidavit discusses the link between DNA found on the knife sheath found at the crime scene and the DNA retrieved from a cheek swab of Kohberger after his arrest.

The prosecution says DNA searches in Codis using the STR (short tandem repeat) analysis were unable to generate a match to DNA found on the sheath.

Once the DNA recovered from the sheath was tested against Kohberger's cheek swab, the profile findings were said to be "at least 5.37 octillion times more likely to be seen if Defendant is the source than if an unrelated individual randomly selected from the population is the source," according to information in the motion for protective order filed June 16.

Those numbers are not like the force of gravity or E=MC2, theyre calculations that give us some idea of the weight of the match, the confidence, but this is a very strong match," said DNA expert and Boise State professor Dr. Greg Hampikian.

Hampikian is not affiliated with the case and only knows what the public does. He says DNA can tell us a lot, but not always the full story.

Did he touch this? Did somebody else touch it with his DNA on their hand? Did he touch it a long time ago? Was there a mix-up in the laboratory or by the police? Did somebody plant it?" Hampikian said, offering hypothetical situations of how DNA can show up in places. "All of that, DNA tells us nothing about."

The affidavit also talks about how Kohberger was first identified as a suspect. The investigators used a genealogy service, one like popular family tree tracking services, like Ancestry.com or 23-and-me.

The investigation on DNA, then turned over to the FBI, utilized a technique known as Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) using an SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) profile. The information learned during IGG was only used to establish familial relations.

The IGG information is only used as a tool to develop a possible lead to a suspect.

The prosecution says the lead pointed toward potential relatives of Kohberger, and investigators were able to create a family tree, leading them to find Kohberger.

To say its [geneaology mapping] publicly available to me is misleading at best," Hampikian said. "The police have special use of these databases. They can use the databases in a similar way that I can, but I can only do it for my DNA. They can do it for your DNA.

Hampikian says he is concerned about the use of these genealogy services in this way. He wants the public to be aware that their DNA could be used by authorities when they submit it to these companies.

I just hope that we are going to find out how the genealogy was done," Hampikian said. "They can blank out the names of people, but I think transparency about how the leads were generated is really important for the general public to know because theyre being used for this.

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DNA expert gives opinion on DNA information in Moscow murders - Idaho News 6 Boise Twin Falls

TEHRAN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top forensic official said on Sunday that the country is ready to export its domestically-developed DNA testing kits to other countries, including the United States.

President of Iran Legal Medical Organization Abbas Masjedi made the remarks when unveiling a number of new medical devices at a conference in the capital Tehran, according to Mizan news agency affiliated with Iran's judiciary.

"Our message to the United States is that if its people need the DNA testing kits of Iran Legal Medical Organization, they can submit their requests to related Iranian authorities, and we will definitely supply the product to them in proportion to their needs, as we, under no circumstances, let political issues and sanctions overshadow peoples' health," he said.

Iran is only five products away from achieving full self-sufficiency in manufacturing genetic laboratories' devices, and they will be unveiled within a year, Masjedi noted.

He stressed that because of the imposition of the U.S. "cruel" sanctions on Iran, his organization was faced with significant periodic shortages in materials and devices over the past years.

Speaking at the same conference, Iranian Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said Iran is currently among the world's advanced states in terms of employing modern technologies in the field of forensic medicine despite the so-called "paralysing" sanctions against the country.

Iran has been under U.S. unilateral sanctions for the past four decades.

The sanctions intensified following the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Although the United States claimed that humanitarian items, including medicine and foodstuffs, are not included in the sanctions list, its embargoes on Iran's oil exports and banking sector have, in practice, prevented the country from importing such goods.

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Iran says ready to export DNA testing kits to U.S. - Xinhua

Neanderthal genes may be one cause of the disorder nicknamed the "Viking disease," in which fingers become frozen in a bent position, a new study finds.

The study, published June 14 in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, finds gene variants that were inherited from Neanderthals that dramatically increase the odds of developing the condition, officially called Dupuytren's disease.,

Dupuytren's disease is a crippling hand disorder named after a French surgeon, in which the fingers, typically the ring and little fingers, become permanently locked in a bent position. The condition is very common in Northern European countries where the Vikings settled, hence its nickname. It typically afflicts about 30% of men over 60 years in Northern Europe and seems to run in families. Treatment is mainly surgical, but recurrence is common. Although smoking, alcoholism, diabetes and anti-seizure medication can increase the odds of developing the disease, the exact cause has remained elusive.

The rarity of Dupuytren's disease among Africans led Dr. Hugo Zeberg, an evolutionary geneticist at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, to wonder whether the genes tied to the disease came from Neanderthals, given that Africans have very limited Neanderthal ancestry.

Related story: Neanderthals passed down their tall noses to modern humans, genetic analysis finds

The researchers combined data from three large biobanks in the U.S., the U.K. and Finland comprising 7,871 cases and 645,880 controls in people of primarily European descent. They found 61 genetic variants tied to a higher risk of Dupuytren's disease.

Next, they compared these gene variants with the previously sequenced Neanderthal genome. To their surprise, they discovered that, of these 61 variants, three variants were of Neanderthal origin, of which two were very strongly linked to the disease. The Neanderthal gene most strongly linked to the disease, called EPDR1, sits on chromosome 7.

This isn't the first time that Neanderthal genes left behind in modern humans have been linked to disease. A 2014 study in the journal Nature tied several present-day human diseases such as diabetes, Crohn's disease, lupus and cirrhosis to Neanderthal DNA remnants.

But the link between Dupuytren's disease and these Neanderthal gene variants is especially strong. Two of the genetic mutations were the second- and third-most strongly associated with the odds of having the disease, respectively. "This is a very strong association," Zeberg told Live Science.

Severe COVID-19 is the only other disease that has been found to have such a strong geneticconnection with Neanderthals, Zeberg added.

"It's aninteresting study that sheds new light on the genetic basis ofDupuytren's disease," Serena Tucci, an anthropologist and evolutionary geneticist at Yale University who was not involved in the study, told Live Science in an email, adding that it's the first to tie the disease to remnant DNA from our close human relatives.

People with roots outside Africa have about 2% Neanderthal DNA in their genome. So statistically, by random chance, you would expect Neanderthal DNA to collectively account for around 2% of the genetic risk of the disease. "But here we find that 8.4% is explained by Neanderthal gene flow," much more than is expected by chance alone, Zeberg noted.

Previous work on Dupuytren's implicated the EPDR1 gene; this gene encodes ependymin-related 1 protein, which plays a role in muscle contractility.

The new research strengthens the case that mutated versions of the EPDR1 protein lead to Dupuytren's. The study has implications for future targeted therapy, Zeberg said.

As next steps, Zeberg hopes to do more clinically oriented research on the disease. Searching for other diseases tied to remnant DNA from Denisovans, the East Eurasian cousins of Neanderthals, is also on the agenda.

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Mysterious 'Viking disease' linked to Neanderthal DNA - Livescience.com

The Molecular Revolution: How DNA Data Storage is Changing the Data Landscape

The molecular revolution is upon us, and it is transforming the way we store and manage data. As the world continues to generate an ever-increasing amount of digital information, traditional storage solutions such as hard drives and magnetic tapes are struggling to keep up. Enter DNA data storage, a cutting-edge technology that harnesses the power of natures most efficient and compact storage medium: the DNA molecule. This revolutionary approach to data storage has the potential to reshape the data landscape, offering unparalleled density, durability, and longevity.

At its core, DNA data storage involves encoding digital information into synthetic DNA molecules, which can then be read back using DNA sequencing techniques. This process essentially converts the binary code of digital data (comprised of ones and zeros) into the four-letter genetic code of DNA (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine). The resulting DNA molecules can be stored in a variety of ways, including in liquid form or embedded within synthetic materials.

One of the most compelling advantages of DNA data storage is its incredible density. DNA molecules are capable of storing vast amounts of information in an incredibly small space. In fact, it is estimated that a single gram of DNA can store up to 215 petabytes (215 million gigabytes) of data. To put this into perspective, if all the data in the world were stored in DNA, it would fit into the back of a single pickup truck. This remarkable density has the potential to revolutionize industries such as data centers, which currently consume vast amounts of energy and physical space to store and manage digital information.

In addition to its impressive storage capacity, DNA data storage also offers exceptional durability and longevity. Unlike traditional storage media, which can degrade over time and become unreadable, DNA is an incredibly stable molecule that can last for thousands of years if properly preserved. This makes it an ideal medium for long-term data storage, particularly for important cultural and historical records that must be preserved for future generations.

The potential applications of DNA data storage are vast and varied. In addition to its obvious use in data centers and archival storage, the technology could also be employed in fields such as cybersecurity, where the unique properties of DNA could be harnessed to create ultra-secure encryption methods. Furthermore, the ability to store massive amounts of data in a tiny space could have significant implications for the development of next-generation computing devices, potentially enabling the creation of ultra-compact, high-capacity storage systems.

Despite its many advantages, there are still several challenges that must be overcome before DNA data storage can become a mainstream technology. One of the primary hurdles is the cost of synthesizing and sequencing DNA, which is currently prohibitively expensive for large-scale data storage applications. However, advances in DNA synthesis and sequencing technologies are driving down costs at a rapid pace, making it increasingly likely that DNA data storage will become a viable option in the not-too-distant future.

Another challenge is the speed at which data can be written to and read from DNA molecules. Currently, the process of encoding and decoding DNA is relatively slow compared to traditional storage methods. However, researchers are actively working on developing new techniques to accelerate this process, potentially paving the way for DNA data storage to become a practical and efficient alternative to conventional storage technologies.

In conclusion, the molecular revolution is poised to transform the data landscape, offering a powerful new approach to storing and managing the worlds ever-growing trove of digital information. As DNA data storage technology continues to advance, it has the potential to reshape industries, drive innovation, and preserve our collective knowledge for generations to come.

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The Molecular Revolution: How DNA Data Storage is Changing the ... - CityLife

A lizard called Delcourts giant gecko has long been one of herpetologys biggest mysteries literally.

Presumed extinct, the animal is by far the largest gecko known to have crawled the Earth, measuring at least 600 millimeters, or about two feet, from snout to tail tip. The only example scientists have of the gecko, however, is a single museum specimen, preserved in the 19th century with no notes as to its origin or identity.

Now, DNA from the specimen reveals that the colossal lizard belongs to a group of New Caledonian diplodactylid geckos, researchers report June 19 in Scientific Reports. Geckos in this lineage repeatedly evolved extreme body sizes on the archipelago east of Australia.

Compared to all other geckos, its monstrous, says Matthew Heinicke, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. It happens to be in a lineage where evolution of gigantism wasnt a one-off event.

Previously dubbed Hoplodactylus delcourti, the gecko was renamed Gigarcanum delcourti in the new study, placing the animal in its own genus whose name means giant mystery. It is about 50 percent as long and several times as heavy as the largest living gecko species (Rhacodactylus leachianus), also a member of the New Caledonian group.

Likely a nocturnal hunter, G. delcourti was big enough to prey on birds and lizards, including other geckos. Its toe pads and long claws suggest it lived in trees, though it was probably the maximum size at which a geckocould still adhere to vertical surfaces with its hallmark sticky grip, Heinicke says.

The gecko came to scientists attention in the 1980s after collections manager Alain Delcourt found the long-forgotten specimen at the Natural History Museum of Marseille in France. Stuffed rather than stored in spirits, the gecko sports a thick trunk, bulbous head and brown skin with faint red bands. Herpetologist Aaron Bauer of Villanova University in Pennsylvania was a graduate student when he arrived at the museum in 1983 to investigate the newly rediscovered specimen.

When Delcourt removed the enormous gecko from a cabinet, my jaw dropped, Bauer says.

Bauer cowrote the first description of the species in 1986, placing the reptile with a New Zealand gecko group based on itsphysical characteristics. He also suggested that because of its coloring and size, the gecko could be the kawekaweau a huge arboreal lizard from the folklore of the Indigenous Mori people.

Since then, techniques for retrieving and analyzing archival DNA have accelerated, allowing scientists to glean new information from degraded museum specimens, including of extinct species such as the dodo and thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger (SN: 5/19/08).

Heinicke, Bauer and colleagues revisited the mysterious giant gecko, extracting and analyzing DNA from one of its femurs. That genetic material rewrote G. delcourtis origin story, showing that it is not even closely related to New Zealands geckos. The diplodactylid geckos of New Caledonia and New Zealand are separated by about 45 million years of evolution.

The teams finding turns things on their head, as gecko geeks worldwide have long associated G. delcourti with New Zealand, says Paul Doughty, a herpetologist at the Western Australian Museum in Perth. But this is the thing about these precious museum specimens. With new technology, they can give up new secrets.

Not everyone is surprised by the finding. Trevor Worthy, a paleontologist at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, previously suggested that G. delcourti may have come from New Caledonia, given its absence in New Zealands extensive fossil record. You would think that such a big animal would have turned up, and there was no sign of it, Worthy says. Its exciting to see this mystery cleared up.

Could G. delcourti still be nestled in the treetops of New Caledonia?

Its unlikely, but possible, the researchers say. New geckos continue to be discovered on the islands. Id like to hold out at least a tiny glimmer of hope that there could be something out there, Bauer says.

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DNA has revealed the origin of this giant 'mystery' gecko - Science News Magazine

Washington:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pushed back on criticism of his governments handling of religious minorities and dissent, saying democracy is in our DNA, democracy is our spirit, democracy runs in our veins and there is no space in India for any kind of discrimination.

Modi was responding to a question from a reporter at the White House along side President Joe Biden. They both took questions from one American and one Indian reporter.

For both India and the US, the Prime Minister said, Democracy is in our DNA, democracy is our spirit, democracy runs in our veins.

Modi was picking up from President Bidens remarks earlier at the briefing about democracy being in the DNA of both the US and India.

He added: We live in a democracy. And our ancestors have actually put words to this concept, and that is in the form of our Constitution. The entire country runs on that. We have always proved that democracy can deliver, and when I say deliver, this is regardless of caste, greed, religion, gender. There is absolutely no space for discrimination.

Modi added, When we live in democracy, there is absolutely no space for discrimination. And that is why India believes in moving ahead with everybody, with trust, and with everybodys efforts. These are our foundations, principles, which are the basis of how we operate, how we live our lives in India.

President Biden also found himself on the defensive when asked about criticism of his administration for overlooking targeting of religious minorities and crackdown on dissent in India.

Biden said he and the Prime Minister had a good discussion about democratic values, thats the nature of our relationship. Were straightforward with each other and we respect each other.

Biden went on to say said the US-China relationship is not in the same space as the US-India relationship because there is an overwhelming respect for each other as we are both democracies. It is in Americas DNA and I believe in Indias DNA.

The two leaders had very productive talks, first in a smaller bilateral meeting and then in an extended one.

They were joined by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, among others.

The two sides will detail the outcomes of the meetings in a joint statement, which is expected shortly. IANS

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'Democracy in our DNA, no space for discrimination', Modi says in ... - The Meghalayan