Category Archives: DNA

Can we inherit our parents trauma? Research points to yes.

CONFERENCE REPORTER

Real true, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] is going to have an impact, certainly on the next generation and maybe generations after that, said Rachel Yehuda, PhD.

Yehuda, in the Educator of the Year Lecture at the 2022 Annual Psychiatric Times World CME Conference in San Diego, shared her research on the potential of PTSD being passed genetically through the generations. Studying the Holocaust and 9/11 survivors showed fascinating results.

At a clinic for Holocaust survivors and their families at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, families reported feeling damaged, guilty, anxious, full of morbid grief, and had dysfunctional interpersonal relationships due to fear of loss. Overall, the children of survivors believed that parental Holocaust exposure was involved in their current mental health problems.

Previous research by Yehuda et al showed adult offspring of Holocaust survivors had differential effects of maternal and paternal PTSD in both glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and vulnerability to psychiatric disorder. With both maternal and paternal PTSD, offspring had lower GR-1F promoter methylation; with just paternal PTSD, offspring had GR-1F promoter hypermethylation.1 Furthermore, Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation; specifically, Holocaust survivors and their adult children showed a nongenotype dependent change in methylation compared to their respective controls.2 This was the first demonstration of an association of preconception parental trauma with epigenetic alterations that is evident in both exposed parent and offspring.

Similar findings resulted from Yehudas work on the effects on 9/11. For example, in a post-9/11 program surveilling women who were pregnant, Yehuda and researchers collected salivary cortisol from mothers and babies.3 What we found is that the mothers that felt PTSD, their cortisol levels were lower, but its also lower in babies, which was really wild, said Yehuda. But heres the kicker: Both cortisol levels are lowest in the babies of mothers with PTSD who were exposed in the third trimester.

This research suggests maternal PTSD may confer additional in utero effects, causing more anxiety for example.3 Trauma exposure during pregnancy directly affects the fetus and fetus germ cells, Yehuda shared.3

How does trauma pass down? Yehuda explained that epigenetic changes could survive cell division associated with the formation of sperm and eggs; if the parent is exposed to trauma, their exposure could result in epigenetic changes that may affect their sperm or eggmeaning a single trauma could simultaneously affect multiple generations without direct exposure.

This is inherited in our DNA, said Yehuda. Trauma is inherited.

The biological remnants of parental experiences in our DNA can affect us in multiple ways, according to Yehuda. They can influence our response to stressors/challenges, make us better able to detect and respond to threats, increase vulnerability to mental health disorders, and increase our attunement to injustice. They are enduring, but not irreversible, Yehuda stressed.

References

1. Yehuda R, Daskalakis NP, Lehrner A, et al. Influences of maternal and paternal PTSD on epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene in Holocaust survivor offspring. Am J Psychiatry. 2014;171(8):872-880.

2. Yehuda R, Daskalakis NP, Bierer LM, et al. Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation. Biol Psychiatry. 2016;80(5):372-380.

3. Yehuda R, Engel SM, Brand SR, et al. Transgenerational effects of posttraumatic stress disorder in babies of mothers exposed to the World Trade Center attacks during pregnancy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90(7):4115-4118.

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Trauma in Your DNA: Educator of the Year Lecture - Psychiatric Times

Richter-Helm BioLogics is a first-in-class biopharmaceutical CDMO with strong quality and customer focus. With 30 years of experience manufacturing microbially derived products including product classes such as therapeutic proteins and peptides, antibody formats (e.g., VHH nanobodies), bacterial vaccines, and plasmid DNA (pDNA) the company has gained first-hand knowledge that can be applied easily to individual customer projects. That positions it as a preferred and experienced partner, especially for plasmid DNA projects.

Over the past few decades, Richter-Helm has developed from a small biotechnology company into a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with a strong focus on customer needs, timelines, and quality requirements. It was one of the first CDMO players in pDNA production 30 years ago. Always on the cutting edge in a constantly developing market, the company implemented a number of production processes for protein- and pDNA-based projects and developed in-house Pichia-based production processes.

The demand for current good manufacturing practice (CGMP)-compliant pDNA has grown over the years and led to Richter-Helms development of its proprietary, high-performance RHB-pART pDNA platform. The technology efficiently delivers pDNA products from 10-L to 1,000-L scales. Typically, the 200-L scale process leads to yields of 520 g, and yields of >100 g can be obtained at the 1,000-L scale. The final result is always a high-quality pure plasmid confirmed using high-resolution analytics. Currently operating three different production processes, Richter-Helm accommodates several product classes for different applications.

Trends in Microbial BiotechnologyContinuous growth of the biopharmaceutical industry and its need for flexible manufacturing solutions are ongoing trends driven by expanding numbers of drug candidates and strong interest in bringing such products to the market quickly. The COVID-19 pandemic has made those needs even more evident. The industry must react to such rapidly evolving diseases immediately to preserve human health and save millions of lives. These trends are likely to continue.

Local and regional shutdowns affected delivery of equipment and consumables throughout the CDMO landscape. Masks, cleanroom equipment, and disinfectants were in short supply, for example. With a warehouse of needed materials and high company-wide motivation to keep manufacturing, Richter-Helm lost no batches to such delays.

All biopharmaceutical products need to be produced at defined quality and quantities within set timelines. Candidates compete for limited production capacity around the world. Biomanufacturing takes place in highly complex multiproduct facilities, with capacities limited by the realities of a growing market that were exacerbated during the pandemic. As a result, the CDMO industry is growing and expanding its capacities as quickly as possible to compensate for the lack of biomanufacturing capacity. Richter-Helm currently operates two GMP-compliant production plants with bioreactor capacities of 1,000-L working volume, enabling manufacture of phase 13 clinical materials and commercial supplies. By adding two more bioreactors with capacities of 200 L and 1,000 L working volumes for microbial production, the company is reacting to the needs of the market.

Growth in the microbial manufacturing field is considered to be particularly strong, and the range of products it can make is expanding. Plasmid DNA and other product classes can be obtained from microbial sources: therapeutic proteins, peptides, some antibody formats, and bacterial vaccines. Such products can be used either directly as therapeutic agents (drug substances) or further processed into even more complex drug products.

One of the most important developments has been catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new field of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines was developing rapidly already and now has achieved its first product approvals. This has moved pDNA production more into the focus of global interest and increased demand for microbial manufacturing processes.

In general, pDNA can be seen as the key to establishing new and life-changing therapeutic approaches. Plasmids are produced as critical raw materials for further processing and to serve as starting material for mRNA, treatments based on RNA interference (RNAi), cell and gene therapies, virus production, and cell-free expression systems. The pandemic certainly has increased demand for pDNA supplies. DNA plasmids also can be drug substances and vaccines, themselves. Over the near term, pDNA should realize its greatest growth in demand from late clinical trials into commercial applications, with the most potential in cell and gene therapy applications.

Different processes are used at different scales for different purposes. Plasmid products especially require an established and highly sensitive analytical platform, including a generic and validated quality control (QC) testing approach, as is in place at Richter-Helm. The companys versatile analytical concept contains procedures to determine quickly and accurately not only pDNA content, but all other relevant quality parameters (e.g., isoforms and purity). For time-critical projects, this provides a reliable way to speed progress to clinical testing or to market.

Timely supply of pDNA of needed qualities and quantities is the main focus of Richter-Helm, which uses an established analytical platform for pDNA products that includes generic and validated quality testing. A high-quality purification with high concentrations and maintenance of supercoiled pDNA (>95%) is achieved. That provides a reliable way to enable fast time-to-clinic or -market for time-critical projects. The companys high quality standards have been verified regularly by numerous customer audits as well as detailed inspections by major regulatory bodies: e.g., the European Medicines Agency (EMA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Japans Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), Brazils Agncia Nacional de Vigilncia Sanitria (ANVISA), South Koreas Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), and more.

Organic Growth Through Technological AdvancementOver the past 2030 years, microbial biotechnologies have represented a side niche of the CDMO industry. But because of ongoing developments in new therapeutic approaches such as mRNA, gene therapies, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, the pDNA market has experienced significant growth. Richter-Helm is contributing to the progress of major achievements through its rich history and unique knowledge base, its flexibility, and the high-quality GMP production it can offer. Expansion of the business comes through operations rather than mergers and acquisitions. The company plans to continue expanding its capacity over the long term and further offer reliable and highly specialized CDMO services to support the global pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries.

Thilo Kamphausen, PhD, is director of business development at Richter-Helm BioLogics GmbH & Co. KG, Suhrenkamp 59, 22335 Hamburg, Germany; 49-4331-1230-451; t.kamphausen@richter-helm-biologics.eu; https://www.linkedin.com/company/richter-helm-biologics. Kai Pohlmeyer, PhD, is managing director; 49-40-55290-430; k.pohlmeyer@richter-helm-biologics.eu.

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30 Years in Microbial Manufacturing of Plasmid DNA, Vaccines, and Proteins - BioProcess Insider

North America is home to more horses than any other continent over 19 million, according to some estimates. For most of human history, however, the Americas had no horses at all.

Archaeological evidence indicates that the genus Equus, which includes horses, donkeys, and zebras, evolved in the western hemisphere between 4 and 4.5 million years ago before spreading to Eurasia, only to disappear during a megafauna extinction event at the end of the Pleistocene.

Eurasias horses survived this extinction event, going on to influence the rise and fall of numerous civilizations. The genus millennia-long trip around the globe concluded in the late 15th century, when European explorers unknowingly returned the domesticated horse to its ancestral home.

From here, horses went on to change life in the Americas just as they had in Eurasia. They enabled Hernn Corts and other conquistadores to venture deep into the American heartland, where the animals provided a strategic advantage against the native populations. Horses also played an important role in local post-Columbian economies, which still revolve heavily around ranching.

Although the reintroduction of horses in the western hemisphere is well-documented in historical literature (Corts subordinate Bernal Diaz wrote at length about the steeds that accompanied them on their initial journey), the same cannot be said for archeological excavations or DNA analysis.

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Horse fossils in the New World are hard to come by. They represent only 2.3% of early colonial animal remains found at the Ek Balam site in Yucatan. At the El Japn and Justo Sierra sites, both located in Mexico City, horse fossils are even rarer, representing 1.75% and 0.23% of the total remains, respectively.

Why are these numbers so low? Archeologists think it might have something to do with social status. The colonial sites mentioned above were once used as garbage dumps. Since horses were used for work and transportation rather than consumption, their bodies rarely ended up in the trash.

With that out of the way, the historical literature indicates that the first domestic horses were taken from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and brought to the Americas via the Caribbean during the late 15th century. Its plausible, but whos to say these sources can be trusted?

To test the hypothesis, a team of researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History, the University of Florida, and the University of Georgia sequenced the mitochondrial DNA of a late 16th-century horse found near Puerto Real, a colonial port in northern Haiti. Their study not only sheds light on the ancestry of American horses, but also lends credibility to a famous New World myth.

If the historical literature is to be believed, the first horses were brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. In his book Historia general y natural de las Indias, the Spanish historian Gonzalo Fernndez de Oviedo y Valds writes that these horses boarded Columbus ship on the Canary Islands and were subsequently taken to La Isabela, a town located in what is today the Dominican Republic.

Given that most equids are highly adaptable, it did not take long for Columbus horses to spread throughout greater Hispaniola. Within just a few years, the population had grown from a handful of individuals into self-sustaining herds that produced so many offspring that Nicols de Ovando governor of the West Indies could afford to cease importing horses from Iberia.

As the Spanish colonists dispersed into the western hemisphere, so did their horses. By 1520, equids could be found across the Mesoamerican mainland, which comprises the countries of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. Less than two decades later, horses were roaming as far north as Florida. Those separated from their owners turned feral, only to be redomesticated by the Native Americans of the Great Plains.

Horses could also be found in Puerto Real, where alongside cows they sustained the towns population and economy. Of the 127,000 or so animal remains that have been identified in Puerto Real, however, only eight of them can be attributed to horses. For their study, the researchers from Florida and Georgia analyzed not a complete horse skeleton, but a single tooth actually, a fragment of a single tooth.

Originally, this tooth fragment was attributed to a cow; researchers did not learn it belonged to a horse until they took a closer look at the DNA embedded within. More so than historical literature, DNA gives us a straightforward and highly detailed impression of the ancestry and, consequently, distribution of horses in early colonial America.

The presence of a specific mutation in its mitochondrial DNA shows that the Puerto Real horse belongs to a branch of the equine family that is mostly found in Central Asia and Southern Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula. The branch encompasses a number of breeds, from Caspian ponies to the Maremmano horses of Italy and the Akhal Teke of Turkmenistan. One mystery solved.

The modern-day breed most closely related with the Puerto Real horse is the Chincoteague pony. Also known as Assateague horses, these wild equids can be found on islands off the coast of Virginia and Maryland. Their striking appearance short, stout legs, thick manes, and large bellies may have resulted from the need to adapt to the harsh environments of and limited resources available on their island homes.

While Chincoteague ponies have been extensively studied by conservationists, it is still unclear how they ended up off the New England coast. Oral traditions from the region, popularized by a 20th-century childrens novel called Misty of Chincoteague, claim their ancestors survived a colonial shipwreck.

This legend was previously contested by historians. Since the first British settlers of Virginia and Maryland made no mention of a feral pony population living on the islands, it seems likely that the Chincoteague ponies arrived sometime after the British did. However, because the DNA of the ponies and the Puerto Real horse differ by only six mutations, the legend may have some truth to it after all.

Thats the most exciting possibility, at least. But there is also another, more plausible scenario as well. Beyond folk stories, the study concludes, affinities between early Caribbean horse breeds and the Chincoteague ponies may reflect Spanish efforts to colonize the Atlantic coast of North America.

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DNA analysis shows when and where horses arrived in America - Big Think

Scientists in the UK are developing a new gene-editing tool that they hope could one day provide a cure to inherited heart defects.

The team at the John Radcliffe laboratory in Oxford, England believe they will be able to prevent the development of inherited heart muscle diseases by rewriting faulty genes in people's DNA.

The therapy is aimed at heart muscle conditions called cardiomyopathy and while these abnormalities can vary, they can sometimes cause progressive heart failure, or even death.

Doctors can already trace genetic forms of the disease in families and confirm whether there is a genetic abnormality, but as of yet there is no cure.

Physicians are unable to prevent the disease from weakening the heart until eventually a transplant is needed and those with genetic cardiomyopathies have a 50-50 risk of passing the faulty genes on to each of their children.

The research is being funded by a 30 million (35.6 million) grant from the research charity the British Heart Foundation.

"Depending on the precise physiological abnormality of the level of the heart muscle cells, it affects the heart in a different way. Some of them will cause the heart to be too thick. Some of them cause the heart to pump too weakly, Professor Hugh Watkins, Lead researcher and the head of the project called CureHeart, explained.

He's been investigating how molecular genetics can be used to address inherited causes of heart disease.

They all have in common that they can cause progressive weakening of the heart and progressive heart failure, starting in young ages and progressing through life, sometimes to the point of needing a heart transplant, he said.

The disease has also struck well known sports personalities.

Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba had a heart attack during a televised FA Cup match from which he has since recovered, and England cricketer James Tayler was forced to retire in 2016 with a similar heart defect to Muamba.

Watkins says the prevalence of cardiomyopathy is not as common as some other heart diseases, but it's still more widespread than many of us realise.

"We know that one in 250 individuals will have this genetic susceptibility in all populations, from all ethnic and racial backgrounds," he said.

There's one particular class of genetic spelling mistake that can cause dilated cardiomyopathy to run in families, but is also responsible for many of the instances where we see heart failure in women after pregnancy or in individuals who drank too much alcohol or after chemotherapy, and that particular genetic defect affects 35 million people globally".

Gene therapies that cut out mutant or incorrect sections of DNA already exist and they have been used in patients for various diseases, but the researchers here are looking for a more precise gene editing tool, Watkins explained.

"In the patients who have these conditions, our heart muscle conditions, everybody has one healthy copy of the gene, but despite that, they get sick and sometimes that's because the faulty copy interferes with the function of the healthy ones, he said.

So we have to specifically target the faulty copy and leave the healthy one alone and that's a harder challenge than some of the other genetic medicines where it would be fine just to take out or manipulate both copies, he added.

One editing tool that is already in use is called CRISPR.

This therapy cuts out a mistake in the gene, but Watkins says what these researchers want to do is rewrite or silence faulty DNA.

"CRISPR cuts the DNA, both strands of the DNA, you could liken it to a pair of scissors. So that's quite good if you want to take out a piece of DNA or inactivate both copies of the gene, said Watkins.

For our particular disorders, we will need more precision than that because we want to manipulate the faulty copy, but leave the healthy copy alone. So where we're exploring genetic editing, we are currently exploring a type of tool called the base editor.

The team at Cureheart investigating the technology counts David Liu Broade amongst their ranks who discovered and developed this tool using chemistry in a laboratory.

As Watkins explains, the therapy can precisely rewrite single letters in a DNA sequence.

Any cure is years away and before any treatment can start, lengthy trials will be needed to test the safety of the therapy.

Watkins says although the aim is to prevent the development of heart disease, the first human trials are likely to be in people who are already in need of a transplant to establish that it works and is safe.

"If we can step in before the heart is badly damaged, then you can absolutely cure it. I don't think we will start there, because to prove it is safe and effective I think the realistic option is we will have to do our first trials in individuals with quite advanced, severe forms of damage from cardiomyopathy. In fact, people who already know they need a heart transplant, he said.

Any risk we have to take is going to be acceptable because they are already in a very risky, vulnerable position, Watkins added.

And then if they get their transplant, we get the heart out, we can explore it in minute detail and really be clear on what that genetic medicine has achieved".

For more on this story, watch the video in the media player above.

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UK scientists are working on a new tool to edit your DNA and cure hereditary heart problems - Euronews

Cast: Fanny ArdantLouis GarrelDylan RobertMarine VacthCaroline Chaniolleau

Geners: Drama

Director: Mawenn

Release Date: Dec 10, 2020

DNA revolves around a woman with close ties to a beloved Algerian grandfather who protected her from a toxic home life as a child. When he dies, it triggers a deep identity crisis as tensions between her extended family members escalate revealing new depths of resentment and bitterness.

Yes, DNA is available on Netflix! One can access the vast library of titles within Netflix under various subscription costs depending on the plan you choose: $9.99 per month for the basic plan, $15.49 monthly for the standard plan, and $19.99 a month for the premium plan.

At the time of writing, DNA is not available to stream on Hulu through the traditional account which starts at $6.99.However, if you have the HBO Max extension on your Hulu account, you can watch additional movies and shoes on Hulu. This type of package costs $14.99 per month.

No, DNA is not streaming on Disney Plus. With Disney+, you can have a wide range of shows from Marvel, Star Wars, Disney+, Pixar, ESPN, and National Geographic to choose from in the streaming platform for the price of $7.99 monthly or $79.99 annually.

You won't find DNA on HBO Max. But if you're still interested in the service, it's $14.99 per month, which gives you full access to the entire vault, and is also ad-free, or $9.99 per month with ads. However, the annual versions for both are cheaper, with the ad-free plan at $150 and the ad-supported plan at $100.

Unfortunately, DNA is not available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Video. However, you can choose other shows and movies to watch from there as it has a wide variety of shows and movies that you can choose from for $14.99 a month.

DNA is not available to watch on Peacock at the time of writing. Peacock offers a subscription costing $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year for a premium account. As their namesake, the streaming platform is free with content out in the open, however, limited.

DNA is not on Paramount Plus. Paramount Plus has two subscription options: the basic version ad-supported Paramount+ Essential service costs $4.99 per month, and an ad-free premium plan for $9.99 per month.

No dice. DNA isn't streaming on the Apple TV+ library at this time. You can watch plenty of other top-rated shows and movies like Mythic Quest, Tedd Lasso, and Wolfwalkers for a monthly cost of $4.99 from the Apple TV Plus library.

No luck. DNA is not available to watch on Direct TV. If you're interested in other movies and shows, Direct TV still has plenty of other options that may intrigue you.

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Where to Watch and Stream DNA Free Online - EpicStream

There were emotions at the 9th Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture in Staunton Virginia when Americans whose DNA match the Igbo tribe received tribal names to reflect their ancestral home.

The 2-day event which was organized by the Council of Igbo States in America held between July 29 to July 30, 2022 at the Igbo Village of Frontier Museum.

The event is an annual event initiated nine years ago to unite Igbos in diaspora and those in Nigeria.

But the 2022 edition was wrapped with an intrigue which included naming ceremonies for Americans of Igbo descent, the organizer said in a statement sent to THE WHISTLER.

CISA said, Many African Americans were in attendance for the emotional re-union of the cross Atlantic brotherhood. Their families whose DNA testing confirmed their Igbo ancestry received Igbo names based on the 8-day Igbo market week, re-connected with their Igbo brothers and sisters and were officially welcomed back to their Igbo ancestral homeland by elders and traditional titleholders.

It said in the statement that the reconnection of Americans of Igbo descent tells the story of Igbos that separated from their homeland through slavery and resettled in America.

According to the organisers, the Igbos who are now African American descendants have traced their roots back to Igbo lineage and are reconnecting with their living relatives in Nigeria and Diaspora.

The reconnection remains one of the most avowed emotional high points for many in attendance.

Emotional tears were seen in the faces of many that the 400 years old shackles have been broken. It reflects to a large extend the final step in a quest to discover and reconnect with relatives separated by time, space, and distance dating back to the era of slave trade, it added.

The festival also featured world class musical talents, exhibitions, costumed cultural performances, symposium, interactive art, traditional cuisines, fashion show, marriage traditions, masquerades, and carnival rides.

Also there were display of masquerades as well as legendary Igbo dances like the Ohafia/Abam war dance, and the youthful Atiliogwu acrobatic displays entertained the audience.

Dignitaries who witnessed the reunion were: Her Excellency Dr. Mrs. Uzoma Emenike, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to United States, represented by Mrs. Tarela Njokanma and Mr. Anthony Alonwu, Rev. Dr. Albert Sampson from Chicago, who was ordained by Rev. Dr Martin Luther King Jr., former Haitian ambassador to United Kingdom Ambassador. Jean Pillard, John Avoli, of the Government of Virginia, Chairman of World Igbo Congress, Professor Tony Ejiofor, HRH Eze Chibuzor Ngwakwe, Igbo Council of Traditional Title Holders (ICOTTHUSA) and delegates from Jamaican, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Barbados communities.

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Tears As American Families With Igbo DNA Receive Tribal Names At World Festival In US The Whistler Newspaper - The Whistler Nigeria

Recent research analyzesmathematical models created to deduce conclusions about how evolution works at the level of populations of organisms.

Claudius Ptolemy, an astronomer and mathematician from Alexandria in the second century, had a lofty goal. He wrote the Almagest, a magisterialtreatise that attempts to explain the motion of stars and the motions of planets. Ptolemy devised a sophisticated mathematical universe model that seemed to replicate the motions of the celestial bodies he had been seeing.

Jeffrey Jensen is a researcher in the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution at Arizona State University and a professor in the School of Life Sciences with the Center for Evolution & Medicine. Credit: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University

Unfortunately, his cosmic plan had a catastrophic weakness at its heart. Ptolemy began his study with the presumption that the Earth was the center of the cosmos, in keeping with the preconceptions of his day. The Ptolemaic universe, which was made up of intricate epicycles to explain the motions of the planets and stars, has long ago been consigned to history books,its conclusions persisted as scientific dogma for more than 1200 years.

No less vulnerable to flawed theoretical methods are the models in the area of evolutionary biology. Evolutionary biology can result in impressive models that fall short of capturing the genuine workings of nature as it develops the bewildering variety of living species on Earth.

A recent study looks at mathematical models created to deduce conclusions about how evolution works at the level of populations of species. The research comes to the conclusion that these models must be built with great caution, avoiding unwarranted starting assumptions, considering the quality of existing knowledge, and staying open to alternative explanations.

Failure to adhere to strict procedures in the construction of null models can result in theories that appear to fit some aspects of the data obtained from DNA sequencing but fall short in accurately elucidating the underlying evolutionary processes, which are frequently extremely complex and multifaceted.

Such theoretical frameworks may offer compelling but ultimately flawed pictures of how evolution actually acts on populations over time, be these populations of bacteria, shoals of fish, or human societies and their various migrations during prehistory.

In the new study, Jeffrey Jensen, a researcher in the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution at Arizona State University and professor in the School of Life Sciences with the Center for Evolution & Medicine, leads a group of international luminaries in the field in providing guidance for future research. Together, they describe a range of criteria that can be used to better ensure the accuracy of models that produce statistical inferences in population genomicsa scientific discipline concerned with large-scale comparisons of DNA sequences within and across populations and species.

One of our key messages is the importance of considering the contributions of evolutionary processes certain to be in constant operation (such as purifying selection and genetic drift), before simply relying on hypothesized or rare evolutionary processes as the primary drivers of observed population variation (such as positive selection), Jensen emphasized.

The study was recently published in the journal PLoS Biology.

Population genomics arose as early efforts in the field attempted to reconcile Charles Darwins notion of evolution by means of natural selection with the first inklings of the mechanisms of inheritance, uncovered by the Augustinian monk, Gregor Mendel.

Susanne Pfeifer is a researcher in the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution and an assistant professor at the Center for Evolution & Medicine. Credit: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University

The synthesis culminated in the 1920s and early 30s, largely thanks to the mathematical work of Fisher, Haldane, and Wright, who were the first to explore how natural selection together with other evolutionary forces would modify the genetic composition of Mendelian populations over time.

Today, studies in population genomics involve the large-scale application of various genomic technologies to explore the genetic composition of biological populations, and how various factors, including natural selection and genetic drift, produce changes in genetic composition over time.

To accomplish this, population geneticists develop mathematical models quantifying the contributions of these evolutionary processes in shaping gene frequencies, use this theory to design statistical inference approaches for estimating the forces producing observed patterns of genetic variation in actual populations, and test their conclusions against accumulated data.

The study of genomic variation focuses on DNA sequence differences among individuals and populations. Some of these variants are critically important for biological function, including mutations responsible for genetic disease, while others have no detectable biological effects.

Such variation in the human genome can take several forms. One common source of variation is known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, where a single DNA letter in the genome is altered. But larger-scale variation in the genome, involving the simultaneous alteration of hundreds or even thousands of base pairs is also possible. Again, some such alterations may play a role in disease risk and survival while many others have no effect.

Natural selection may occur when different variants segregating in a population have a fitness differential relative to one another. By designing and studying mathematical models governing the corresponding gene frequency change and applying those models to empirical data, population geneticists seek to understand the contributing evolutionary processes in a rigorous, quantitative way. Thus, population genetics is often regarded as the theoretical cornerstone of modern Darwinian evolution.

Although the importance of natural selection to the evolutionary process is undeniable, the role of positive selection in increasing the frequency of beneficial variants the potential driver of adaptation is certain to be comparatively rare relative even to other forms of natural selection. For example, purifying selection the removal of deleterious variants from the population is a constantly acting and far more pervasive form of selection.

In addition, there are multiple non-selective evolutionary processes of great importance. For example, genetic drift describes the many stochastic fluctuations inherent to evolution. In large populations, natural selection may act more efficiently in purging deleterious variation and potentially fixing beneficial variation, whereas as populations become smaller genetic drift will be increasingly dominant.

The distinction can be seen in dramatic form when comparing prokaryotic organisms like bacteria with organisms composed of eukaryotic cells, including humans. In the former case, the vast population sizes tend to result in more efficient selection. In contrast, a weaker selection pressure operating in eukaryotes is more permissive to genomic changes, provided that they are not strongly deleterious.

According to the Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution a new guiding principle of evolutionary theory proposed by the population geneticist Motoo Kimura over 50 years ago most evolutionary changes at the molecular level in real populations are governed not by natural selection, but by genetic drift. The study emphasizes that this critical point is too often missed by evolutionary biologists. As co-author Michael Lynch, director of ASUs Biodesign Center for Mechanisms in Evolution cogently observes, natural selection is just one of several evolutionary mechanisms, and the failure to realize this is probably the most significant impediment to a fruitful integration of evolutionary theory with molecular, cellular, and developmental biology.

The new consensus study further stresses that a failure to consider these alternative evolutionary mechanisms which are certain to be operating, including genetic drift, and incorporate these into models of population genomics, is likely to lead researchers astray. The common overreliance on purely adaptive models to explain genomic variation has led to a raft of interpretations of dubious value, the authors assert.

The study presents a detailed flow chart that can help guide the development of more accurate models used to draw evolutionary inferences, based on genomic data. Biological parameters that vary among species include not only evolutionary variables like population size, mutation rates, recombination rates, and population structure and history but the way the genome itself is structured and life history traits, including mating behavior. All of these factors play a vital role in dictating observed molecular variation and evolution.

While these many considerations may sound daunting for some researchers, it is important to note that many excellent research groups at ASU and around the world are actively improving our understanding of these underlying evolutionary parameters, providing constantly improving inference, for example, of mutation and recombination rates, added co-author Susanne Pfeifer, an Assistant Professor in the Center for Evolution & Medicine and the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution.

Where once, theoretical models in population genomics proliferated alongside relatively scant genomic data, today an avalanche of data, enabled by rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing of organisms across the tree of life, has dramatically changed the field. The careful and judicious use of this gold mine of genomic data will help advance the most rigorous models to unlock evolutions many remaining mysteries.

Reference: Recommendations for improving statistical inference in population genomics by Parul Johri, Charles F. Aquadro, Mark Beaumont, Brian Charlesworth, Laurent Excoffier, Adam Eyre-Walker, Peter D. Keightley, Michael Lynch, Gil McVean, Bret A. Payseur, Susanne P. Pfeifer, Wolfgang Stephan and Jeffrey D. Jensen, 31 May 2022, PLoS Biology.DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001669

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The Pitfalls of Evolutionary Genomics - SciTechDaily

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Its not likely, but it seems like there may have been a breakthrough in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. According to Fox News, there is a growing push to test DNA from the murder of Ramsey. This could finally close the cold case.

According to Fox News, JonBenet Ramseys brother is asking Colorados governor to open up the DNA evidence from the case to a new agency for further testing. Parabon NanoLabs is known for using advanced technology to research cold cases and old cases that didnt have the luxury of DNA testing.

CeCe Moore, the chief genetic genealogist at Parabon, recently sat down for an interview with Australias 60 Minutes. In the interview, she revealed that Parabons methods could identify DNA from a crime scene within a few hours.

There are people all over the world that want her killer brought to justice, who want to know what happened and who want the answers, Moore said. Parabon also recently made headlines by helping to solve a cold murder case in Pennsylvania back in July. Prosecutors confirmed that DNA helped bring charges against David Sinopoli in connection to the 1975 murder of Lindy Sue Beichler.

This arrest would not have been possible without the assistance of CeCe Moore and Parabon NanoLabs, Lancaster DA Heather Adams said in the aftermath. We are incredibly grateful for the work that they do and their commitment to securing justice for victims and their loved ones.

Cindy Smit-Marra, the daughter of late detective Lou Smit, and investigator John Anderson are pushing for Boulder police to look into the DNA testing again.

We request that the lab that did the testing on the long johns use their current technology to potentially identify more markers and/or separate any comingled DNA, the pair said. This would simply take a phone call from the Boulder Police Department.

Smit-Marras father left behind a lot of clues that could help solve the case, even though the suspect was never found.

All this said, Boulder police maintains they are still testing and looking into the case. The Boulder Police Department regularly meets with multiple entities regarding this investigation, to include private labs, the FBI, CBI, the District Attorneys Office and others, the department wrote on social media in response to criticism.

In this ever- and quick-changing field of DNA analysis and testing, we are constantly speaking with these investigative stakeholders to evaluate how best to proceed given legal and scientific rules and limiations. Due to the length of time since this crime first occurred, Boulder police must be extremely cautious with handling of evidence and analysis.

John Andrew Ramsey noticed the police officers comments and celebrated them for breaking their silence. However, he quickly pointed out the issues with their details.So here is the issuethey talk a big game but every feeler I got out there tells me otherwise. Not to mention a terrible track record, Ramsey wrote. Do you give them the benefit of the doubt?

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Home News JonBenet Ramsey Murder: Police Urged to Retest DNA Due to Breakthrough in Investigation

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Back in 2019, a US Navy officer warned against the use of at-home ancestry test kits. Be careful who you send your DNA to, said Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson, during a speech on nuclear deterrence in Washington, DC. Theres a number of those companies where you can go and find out what your makeup is. Thats a lot of information. You learn a lot about yourself and so does the company [that]s doing it.

According to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at the time, more than 26 million people had taken at-home ancestry tests. Based on the rate at which the public was purchasing the kits, this number was predicted to jump to at least 100 million by 2021.

Fast forward to 2022, a US House Intelligence Committee member has now reiterated these warnings by highlighting how information collected by DNA-testing companies like MyHeritage, Ancestry.com and 23andMe could be used to develop bioweapons targeting specific groups of Americans or even individuals.

Representative Jason Crow made the comments during an appearance at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, saying many Americans are far too willing to give up their DNA information to private companies.

You can actually take someones DNA, you know, their medical profile, and you can target a biological weapon that will kill that person or take them off the battlefield or make them inoperable, Crow said, as noted by Axios. You cant have a discussion about this without talking about privacy in commercial data and the protection of commercial data, because expectations of privacy have degraded over the last 20 years. The lawmaker also added how younger generations have very little expectation of privacy, as per polling data.

People will very rapidly spit into a cup and send it to 23andMe and get really interesting data about their backgroundand guess what? Their DNA is now owned by a private company, he continued. It can be sold off with very little intellectual property protection or privacy protection, and we dont have legal and regulatory regimes that deal with that. That data is actually going to be procured and collected by our adversaries for the development of these systems.

In July 2022, the Washington Examiner reported how privately-owned databases could be easily leveraged to create bioweapons like the ones touted by Crow. The publication explained that DNA belonging to a target, or even a close relative of a target, could be stolen and used to develop a biological weapon effective only against that person. The technology hence harbours the unsettling potential to initiate highly-targeted assassination programmes while also making it harder for killers to be tracked downsimilar to the horrific case of genetic paparazzi who are predicted to start stealing genetic material of public figures for reproductory and other nefarious purposes.

According to Senator Joni Ernst, such scientific advancements can be equally dangerous if they are designed to target only a certain breed of farm animal or crop rather than humans. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine feverall of these things have circulated around the globe, but if targeted by an adversary, we know that it brings about food insecurity, she said at the Aspen Security Forum. Food insecurity drives a lot of other insecurities around the globe.

The lawmaker continued by stating how theres a need to make sure were not only securing human beings from the genetic threat but also the organic supplies that will sustain us. Ernst also believes food will be increasingly weaponised in the future as she pointed out how Russia has already armed the same in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Although 23andMe has repeatedly stated that it does not sell the private information of its customers, the Daily Mail noted how other DNA companies have previously provided databases to law enforcement upon request. Meanwhile, several startups have also cropped up on the genomic horizonincluding dating app digiD8 which allows users to match with potential love interests based on information about their genes.

Heck, 23andMe has itself offered users the chance to go from a curious trip down ancestry lane online to a literal trip down ancestry lane by partnering and sharing data with Airbnbultimately using DNA to capitalise on heritage travel. Taking all of this into consideration, the concept of bioterrorism by leveraging online DNA databases doesnt seem so far-fetched anymore in 2022.

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