Category Archives: Genome

Giving People Confidence to Use Their Genome
Ting Wu explains the goals of the personal genome project, which allows people to be empowered by their genetic information and to develop the confidence to ...

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Code 64 - REBIRTH (Genome Remix by Virez)
http://www.metropolis-radio.de/

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Code 64 - REBIRTH (Genome Remix by Virez) - Video

Soccer Genome Individual Sessions
Soccer.

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Soccer Genome Individual Sessions - Video

Human Genome PowerPoint Template
Human Genome design template for PowerPoint presentations. Get this template at http://www.poweredtemplate.com/11012/0/index.html Download creative, pre-made, professional presentation templates...

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Everyone wants an easy answer to the big questions about geneticsis there a gay gene? Agene for autism? What about for motherhoodor for murder?

In nearly every case, the answer is no; instead, genetic traits are often determined by many small mutations across the genome that interact with the environment and peoples experiences. Finding these genetic differences and interpreting their effects is incredibly difficult. The studies that identify them, called genome-wide association studies, entail searching the entire genome of many individuals for areas that consistently correlate with specific traits.

Casting such a wide net necessitates a large sample size, since hundreds of thousands of genetic markers are being tested. Until recently, the most extensivegenome-wide association study in the social sciences involved about 10,000 individuals. A new study detailed in this week's Science examines the genomes of about 100,000 people across fifteen countries in order to identify genetic markers related to a persons educational accomplishments.

More specifically, the researchers have identified genetic mutations that are associated with two measures of a person's educational attainment: their total number of years of schooling and their likelihood of finishing college. The papers title, GWAS of 126,559 Individuals Identifies Genetic Variants Associated with Educational Attainment, sounds pretty promising.

The real numbers, however, are a little less thrilling. The researchers identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPsgenetic sequences where one nucleotide has been substituted with anotherthat predict these two measures of educational attainment. The SNP associated with an individuals time in school explains a grand total of 0.022 percent of the observed variance in the population. Yes, you read that right: just over two hundredths of a percent, which corresponds to about one month of schooling.

The SNPs related to whether or not a person finished college aren't much larger in their impact; the largest effect corresponds to a 1.8 percentage point increase in the likelihood of finishing college. Across two million SNPs, the researchers could explain, in total, about two percent of the variation in individuals educational attainment.

Since other estimates suggest that about 40 percent of a persons educational attainment is heritable, these effect sizes seem tiny. But in the world of genome-wide association studies, these numbers arent that small. Remember, these are single mutations that are being tested; that may only beone nucleotide out of over 2 billionthat is making a significant and measurable difference in how well-educated a person is.

To put these numbers in perspective, the SNPs with the largest effects on height and BMI account for 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent of the variance in these traits, respectively.

Furthermore, its particularly difficult to identify SNPs that have a measurable effect on behavioral traits compared to physical traits, thanks to the stronger effects of environment and personality. Many genome-wide association studies in social science actually fail to find any SNPs that have significant replicable effects.

Despite the tiny effect sizes, this research is a definite step toward understanding the genetic architecture of complex behavioral traits, specifically those related to education. Of course, as the researchers are careful to note, theres no gene for education. But by identifying small points of interest throughout the genome, researchers are making progress in understanding the complex role that our genes and our environment play in our educational outcomes.

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Giant genome study finds tiny links between genetics and schooling

13 - Genome Sequencing in Tumors - Interview with Dr. Allan Balmain
For additional information visit http://www.cancerquest.org/allan-balmain-interview. Dr. Allan Balmain, Professor at UCSF, studies the step-wise fashion in which cancer develops. By looking...

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Javascript is currently disabled in your web browser. For full site functionality, it is necessary to enable Javascript. In order to enable it, please see these instructions. 12 hours ago by Krishna Ramanujan Harlequin frogs, such as this species (Atelopus glyphus), are highly susceptible to Bd, and many populations have become extinct. Credit: K.R. Zamudio

A fungus that has decimated amphibians globally is much older than previously thought, but may have recently spread through the global wildlife trade to new locations where amphibians have no immunity, reports a new study.

Previous research had suggested that a group of related strains of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) responsible for the current global pandemic, called the Global Panzootic Lineage (GPL), resulted from a recent lethal hybridization.

But now, an international team of researchers, including Cornell ecologist Kelly Zamudio, one of the project's principal investigators (PI), has sequenced the genomes of 29 strains of the Bd fungus worldwide.

The results are published in the May 6 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The findings reveal that the GPL existed long before the current pandemic, possibly descending from an ancestor that originated 26,000 years ago.

"We found a lot more genetic variation than people knew about," said Zamudio, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, of the sequenced Bd genomes. "It could lead us to a better understanding of what makes it kill. Once we know the genetic makeup of a pathogen, maybe we can understand what makes it such a powerful killer."

The fungus infects some 350 amphibian species by attacking and degrading their skin, often causing death. Amphibians began dying off at alarming rates in the 1980s, particularly in Australia and South America, and researchers identified Bd as the culprit in 1998.

In the study, a sample from Brazil showed the earliest known divergence from that common ancestor.

"Early on in the history [of Bd], the Brazil isolate took a different evolutionary path," said Zamudio.

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Genome offers clues to amphibian-killing fungus

INOKI GENOME

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INOKI GENOME - Video

May 28, 2013

Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Researchers have sequenced the genome of a Bactrian camel named Mozart, laying down the foundation for future scientific work on these large desert mammals.

Camels consist of two species, which include the one-humped dromedary and the two-humped Bactrian camel. The animals have the ability to carry heavy loads in harsh desert environments over long distances. They can survive weeks in hostile environments without food or water. Researchers at the Vetmeduni Vienna wanted to learn a bit more about the genetic code of the camel.

Researcher Pamela Burger, who heads one of the few research groups to study camel genetics, was interested in learning about the domestication of camels which took place around 3,000 to 6,000 years ago. Burger and her colleagues believe that the animals DNA code could provide clues on the breeding strategies and selection processes that were applied by humans at that time.

The scientists found 116,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genetic sequence of the Bactrian camel. SNPs are single base-pair changes found in a DNA strand that provide the basis for studying relationships among species and between single animals. The genetic relationship between the Bactrian camel and the dromedary camel is a close one. They found that 85 percent of the genomic sequence expressed in the dromedary can be found in the Bactrian camel as well.

Mozarts genome provides us with the basis for further comparative research on other camelids such as dromedary, lama and alpaca, said Burger, who also authored the study which appeared in the Journal of Heredity.

The lack of basic genetic data on camel species has hampered researchers like Burger from studying the animals genome. These genomes will also help scientists understand more about the evolution of the camel and its predecessors, such as how one recently discovered 3.5-million-year-old fossil may have played into its evolutionary family tree.

In March, researchers discovered the fossilized remains of a giant prehistoric species of camel in the far northern regions of Canada. The discovery implies that modern camels are descendants from ancestors which lived within the Canadian Arctic Circle. The paleontologists found 30 fossil fragments of a leg bone that dates back to the mid-Pliocene Epoch period. They believe the creature would have been similar in appearance to current camels, but with a thicker coat to keep it warm.

We now have a new fossil record to better understand camel evolution, since our research shows that the Paracamelus lineage inhabited northern North America for millions of years, and the simplest explanation for this pattern would be that Paracamelus originated there, explained paleontologist Dr. Natalia Rybczynski of the Canadian Museum of Nature.

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Decoded Camel Genome To Unveil Secrets Of Evolutionary History

May 28, 2013 By sequencing the genome of a Bactrian camel, researchers at the Vetmeduni Vienna have made a significant contribution to population genetic research on camels. The study has laid the foundation for future scientific work on these enigmatic desert animals. A blood sample from a single Bactrian camel with the evocative name of "Mozart" provided the genetic raw material for the work, which was undertaken by Pamela Burger at the Institute of Population Genetics.

Camels are divided into two species, the one-humped dromedary and the two-humped Bactrian camel. Whether equipped with one or two humps, camels are precious in desert regions throughout the world. Their ability to carry heavy loads over long distances makes them ideally suited for transportation. In addition, camels are able to survive for weeks in hostile environments without food and water. Despite the extremely arid conditions, camels still provide enough milk for human consumption and also have an important role as a source of meat. Camels are specialists when it comes to adapting to the environment and have been characterized as sustainable food producers.

Focusing on camel domestication

Pamela Burger heads one of the few research groups in Europe that study camel genetics. Burger and her colleagues are primarily interested in the domestication of camels, which took place around 3,000 to 6,000 years ago. Genetic data provide important clues on the breeding strategies and selection processes that were applied by humans at that time. The DNA code also represents a rich resource for addressing questions on phylogenetic relationships between animals. Burger is one of the first scientists to sequence large parts of the genome of a Bactrian camel and make it available to the public.

Milestone in camel genetics

Until recently, the genetic code of the Camel had not been fully analysed. Genetic research on these animals was therefore difficult or even impossible. In contrast, the entire genetic information of the human genome was available as long ago as 2003 and the genetic code of various animals and plants is publicly available, giving researchers access to an enormous set of data. To date, the lack of basic genetic data has severely hampered studies of camel genetics. Pamela Burger and her team are pioneers in presenting this essential dataset.

Relationship among the one- and the two-humped

The scientists were able to find 116,000 so-called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in the genetic sequence of the Bactrian camel. SNPs are single base-pair changes within a DNA strand that provide the basis for studying relationships among species and between single animals. The genetic relationship between the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) and the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) is close. 85 per cent of the genomic sequences expressed in the dromedary can be found in the Bactrian camel. Burger explains, "Mozart's genome provides us with the basis for further comparative research on other camelids such as dromedary, lama and alpaca."

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Decoding the genome of the camel