Category Archives: DNA

6 March 2013 Last updated at 22:05 ET By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News

Scientists have described some services provided by companies tracing ancestry using DNA as akin to astrology.

Some test findings tell people that they have links to groups such as Vikings, to particular migrations of people and sometimes to famous figures such as Napoleon or Cleopatra

But researchers working with a campaign group say DNA tests cannot provide accurate information about ancestry.

Ancestry companies insist they are able to provide a valuable service.

Almost every Briton is a descendant of Viking hordes, Roman legions, African migrants, Indian Brahmins, or anyone else they fancy

An increasing number of companies are offering to profile the genetic history of individuals based on a DNA sample for around 200.

But in a public guide, published by Sense About Science, Prof David Balding and Prof Mark Thomas of University College London warn that such histories are either so general as to be "personally meaningless or they are just speculation from thin evidence".

The scientists say that genetic profiles cannot provide accurate information about an individual's ancestry.

They say "the genetic ancestry business uses a phenomenon well-known in other areas such as horoscopes, where general information is interpreted as being more personal than it really is".

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DNA ancestry 'astrology' claim

Madison Hubbell Zachary Donohue ~ DNA
My heart won #39;t beat again If I can #39;t feel him in my veins Song : LITTLE MIX - DNA Home videos credit : unimagine818, WinterForever2009, DrakonStudio, upperfield007, Jennifer Comeaux, Tom Wehrle

By: KeifferandMadison

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Madison Hubbell

DNA Replication Song(Original Lyrics) By JayVinFoong
The DNA Replication Song Arranged and Played By JayVinFoong on guitar. This was made for a bonus biology school project. I made up the lyrics in less than 30 minutes, so that #39;s why I have to read off my sheet. By the way, the tune used in this video is "Grenade" by Bruno Mars. Facebook:full.sc Twitter: twitter.com My Vlog Channel: http://www.youtube.com My Sports Channel: http://www.youtube.com LYRICS DNA, RNA That #39;s just how we #39;re made of pas, pass, pass it all pass the info for DNA has proteins for all living organism to make us what we are make us what we are Before a cell replicates to make one become two make one become two, yes we did We need to extract those genes from the chromosome and transfer to ribosome... We are made of DNA yeah Adenine and Thymine oh yeah, Cytosine and Guanine oh yeah, We are made of all these oh yeah ohh Adenine will always pair with Thymine and Cytosine will pair with Guanine except in mRNA yeah when uracil replaces thymine Double helix will unwind and get separated by breaking the hydrogen bonds With enzyme helicase Then the DNA strand encodes the leading strand from 5 prime to 3 prime from 5 to 3 The lagging strand has to form from 5 to 3 too So okazaki fragments are form and RNA primase lays down its RNA primer and process repeats again In the end the fragments are linked back with DNA ligase the process it #39;s now complete yeah The process is finally complete yeah ohh Adenine will always pair with Thymine and Cytosine will pair with Guanine except in ...

By: JayVinFoong

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DNA Replication Song(Original Lyrics) By JayVinFoong - Video

DNA DETAILING :30 SPOT
DNA DETAILING IN THE OLD FLYNN BUILDING OFFERS PROFESSIONAL CAR DETAILING WITH PICK UP AND DELIVERY SEVICES. ASK FOR ANTHONY.

By: SmokestacksPro

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DNA DETAILING :30 SPOT - Video

The Irish Times - Tuesday, March 5, 2013

GERRY MORIARTY Northern Editor

DNA evidence will link Co Derry man Brian Shivers to the murder of two British soldiers at Massereene British army barracks in Antrim four years ago, prosecuting lawyer Terence Mooney QC said yesterday at Belfast Crown Court.

Mr Shivers (47), from Sperrin Mews in Magherafelt, is charged with murdering British soldiers Mark Quinsey (23) and Patrick Azimkar (21) outside the army base in Antrim in March 2009.

Mr Shivers, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, is also charged with six counts of attempted murder and one of possession of two firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life in relation to the dissident republican attack.

The two soldiers were gunned down as they were collecting pizza outside the barracks on March 7th, 2009. Two other soldiers and two pizza delivery men were seriously injured in the attack just hours before the soldiers were to deploy for service in Afghanistan. Another soldier and a civilian security guard suffered severe shock.

Graphic video footage of the attack was shown in court yesterday during the first day of the non-jury case in front of Mr Justice Deeny.

The CCTV film shows Mr Quinsey, from Birmingham, and Mr Azimkar, from London, heading to the front entrance of the base with other soldiers to collect pizzas they had ordered from Dominos in Antrim.

65 shots fired

The film shows two gunmen firing from AK automatic assault rifles at the soldiers and delivery men. After the first bursts, they return to fire more shots, with one of the gunmen reloading his weapon during the attack. In all 65 shots were fired in the attack, which was claimed by the Real IRA.

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Court hears DNA evidence will play role

Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, gives a sample of his DNA at a news conference on Tuesday (credit: CBS)

DENVER (AP/CBS4) Nearly all people going through Colorados criminal court system would have to submit DNA samples under a bill introduced Tuesday at the state House.

The measure would require those convicted of misdemeanors from shoplifting to assault to submit DNA samples. Those samples would be entered into a database where it would be compared with DNA found at scenes of unsolved crimes.

If approved, Colorado would become only the second state in the nation to have such a law, according to Rich Williams, a criminal justice policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

I believe so much in this test that Im willing to have my sample taken right now, said Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, the bills sponsor at a news conference.

Pabon then proceeded to have his DNA sample taken at the new conference.

It really is 21st century fingerprint, and we know that we can be more accurate, more effective, better at solving crimes when were using DNA, he said.

In October, New York began collecting DNA from those convicted of misdemeanors, with an exception for those with no previous criminal records who are convicted of marijuana offenses.

Criminals do not follow a neat pattern of only committing one type of offense, Denver Chief Deputy District Attorney Dawn Weber said.

DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, then sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for testing and to a state database.

Originally posted here:
Bill Would Require DNA From All Misdemeanor Convicts In Colorado

A painting of a Falkland Islands wolf. Credit: Michael Rothman, Ace Coinage Inc./University of Adelaide

Published: March. 5, 2013 at 3:14 PM

ADELAIDE, Australia, March 5 (UPI) -- Australian researchers say DNA has helped understand the history of the now-extinct Falkland Islands wolf, the only land-based mammal on the isolated islands.

Previous theories have suggested the wolf somehow rafted on ice or vegetation, or crossed via a now-submerged land bridge or was even semi-domesticated and transported by early South American humans to the Falklands, 285 miles from the nearest land, Argentina.

Researchers from the University's Australian Center for Ancient DNA extracted tiny pieces of tissue from the skull of a specimen collected by Charles Darwin when he encountered the famously tame species in 1834.

Their findings suggested that the Falkland Islands wolf became isolated from its South American mainland relatives only about 16,000 years ago, around the peak of the last glacial period.

The absence of other mammals on the Falklands argued against any land bridge connection to the mainland, researches said.

"The Eureka moment was finding evidence of submarine terraces off the coast of Argentina," study leader Alan Cooper said. "They recorded the dramatically lowered sea levels during the Last Glacial Maximum [around 25,000-18,000 years ago]."

"At that time, there was a shallow and narrow [around 12 miles] strait between the islands and the mainland, allowing the Falkland Islands wolf to cross when the sea was frozen over, probably while pursuing marine prey like seals or penguins. Other small mammals like rats weren't able to cross the ice."

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DNA helps explain Falkland Islands wolves

Jurors heard testimony Tuesday that DNA from Stow teenager Brogan Rafferty was found on the handle and magazine of a pistol identified previously as the gun used in the slaying of a Massillon man who had answered an ad for a bogus farm job in southern Ohio.

Timothy Kern, 47, was the fourth and final victim of the so-called Craigslist killings. He was shot Nov. 13, 2011. Authorities found his body 12 days later in a shallow, hand-dug pit behind Rolling Acres Mall in southwest Akron.

The testimony about the pistol, a .22-caliber Iver Johnson weapon identified last week by a firearms expert from the state crime lab, came on the seventh day of the evidentiary phase of the capital murder trial of Richard James Beasley of Akron.

Lynda Eveleth, a DNA analyst from the state crime lab, told the jury the DNA on the pistol was consistent with Raffertys genetic profile. She went on to say, under questioning by defense counsel Larry Whitney, that Beasleys DNA profile was excluded from the pistol handle and magazine.

There were no assertions Monday that Rafferty, Beasleys young co-defendant in the case, was the person who had shot Kern. Autopsy results showed the cause of death was multiple gunshots to the head.

In Raffertys trial last year, prosecutors showed that police found the pistol used to kill Kern and a shotgun that belonged to the second victim, David Pauley, inside Raffertys bedroom at his familys residence in Stow.

Hiding the weapons there prosecutors called it a sign of deception showed that Rafferty was not a frightened child under Beasleys influence, but rather was protecting Beasley, prosecutors have said. Beasley was considered the teens mentor and longtime spiritual advisor from their church days together at the Chapel in Akron.

Beasley, 53, is charged with three counts of aggravated murder and the attempted slaying of a fourth man, Scott William Davis, who escaped after he was shot.

Davis, during his recovery at Akron General Medical Center from a gunshot wound to the right elbow, gave authorities much of the information that led them to both defendants.

If Beasley is convicted of any of the aggravated murder counts, he could face the death penalty.

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DNA from Beasley co-defendant found on murder weapon

BY JEREMY PAWLOSKI | Staff writer Published March 05, 2013 Modified March 05, 2013

Lacey police arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of rape Monday, after DNA evidence collected from a woman after an alleged sexual assault matched the suspect's DNA profile, which had already been entered into the state's Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, court papers state.

Jerome Lamont Shumate, 32, of Olympia, was ordered held on suspicion of second-degree rape during a court hearing Tuesday. His bail was set at $50,000.

According to court papers:

The alleged rape occurred in August in Lacey, after the accuser met a man on an Intercity Transit bus and he invited her to his trailer in the woods. The woman reported the unknown male had raped her in the woods near the 8600 block of Martin Way East in Lacey. The woman reported the rape immediately afterward. Detectives collected DNA evidence from the rape, and submitted it to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.

In February, Lacey Police Detective Bev Reinhold received a report from the crime lab indicating that the DNA evidence collected from the alleged rape matched Shumate's DNA profile, which had already been entered into the CODIS system. Shumate had previously been convicted of a third-degree rape in 1997, when he was a juvenile.

Police contacted Shumate at his workplace on Monday, and he denied having sex with anyone other than his girlfriend since July. After he was told of the DNA evidence implicating him as having had sex with the accuser, he continued to deny having sex with her. After about an hour of questioning, Shumate changed his story and said he had had sex with an unknown woman, but he said it was consensual.

Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5445 jpawloski@theolympian.com

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DNA database helps Lacey police make arrest in rape case

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Frozen food maker Birds Eye said horse meat DNA found in two of its products came from an Irish meat processor that is part of one of Ireland's largest agricultural businesses.

Birds Eye was drawn into the scandal last month when a chilli con carne sold in Belgium was pulled off retail shelves after testing positive for horse DNA. That also prompted the withdrawal of its spaghetti bolognese and beef lasagne products.

The company said investigations had found its Belgian supplier Frigilunch NV had unknowingly sourced meat with horse DNA from Irish meat processor QK Meats.

"Our investigation has shown that Frigilunch NV (who supplied these products to us) was itself supplied meat with horse in it by an Irish meat processor QK Meats," Birds Eye said in a statement on Tuesday.

"In total we have tested 250 products across Europe and confirmed three products as containing horsemeat," Birds Eye said.

The horsemeat scandal erupted in Ireland after its food safety authority discovered horse DNA in frozen beef burgers and the Birds Eye investigation brings more unwanted attention on the country's reeling beef industry.

"All other meat suppliers to Frigilunch NV have been given the all clear through both Birds Eye's and Frigilunch NV's separate testing programmes," the statement said.

Private equity group Permira owns the Iglo Group whose frozen food brands include Birds Eye in Britain, Iglo, which trades across much of continental Europe, and Findus in Italy.

Birds Eye said tests showed its beef burgers, beef pies and beef platters sold in Britain and Ireland did not contain horse DNA.

QK Meats parent firm is the Arrow Group, which is privately owned by Irish businessmen the Queally brothers who own shares in one of Europe's largest food processors, Dawn Meats.

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CORRECTED-Birds Eye names Irish company as the source of horse DNA find