Latest Population genetics Stories

A study from the 1000 Genomes Project yields data for analyzing structural variants in DNAAdvances in DNA sequencing technology have revolutionized biomedical research and taken us another step forward in personalized medicine. Now, scientists led by Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), Harvard Medical School (HMS), the Broad Institute, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), the University of Washington, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, have developed a new framework for...

A large collaborative study has added to the growing list of genetic variants that determine how tall a person will be. The research, published by Cell Press on December 30 in the American Journal of Human Genetics, identifies uncommon and previously unknown variants associated with height and might provide insight into the genetic architecture of other complex traits.Although environmental variables can impact attained adult height, it is clear that height is primarily determined by specific...

Molecular evidence supports long-suspected historical connectionApricots are important to Turkey, the country where more apricot crops are grown and exported than anywhere in the world. Looking to unlock the mystery of apricots' origins and increase crop production, scientists are studying the genetic relationship between apricot varieties. New research from a team of Hungarian and Turkish scientists has confirmed the genetic link between Turkish and Hungarian apricot cultivars, yielding...

Personalized medicine centers on being able to predict the risk of disease or response to a drug based on a person's genetic makeup. But a study by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that, for most common diseases, genes alone only tell part of the story.That's because the environment interacts with DNA in ways that are difficult to predict, even in simple organisms like single-celled yeast, their research shows."The effects of a person's genes...

Since 1871, when Charles Darwin wrote The Descent of Man, it has been widely accepted that "Variability is the necessary basis for the action of selection." Variability is associated with the ability to adapt, which is clearly beneficial at a species level. But there is increasing evidence that genetic variability may also give rise to advantages at the level of the individual. Steve Smith and Franz Suchentrunk at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary...

Scientific risk assessment conducted on introduction of exotic speciesA potential solution for global energy demands is the use of Poplar, a fast-growing tree with high yields, for biofuels. To get the most out of Poplar plantations, varieties that are the best fit for the conditions"”ones with disease resistance or higher yields, for example"”are desired. But do these plantations of new, non-native (exotic) species impact nearby native populations of Poplar? In particular, is the genetic...

In an unprecedented international project, researchers have found multiple genetic mutations that play a role in heart attack or coronary artery disease (CAD) risk.The Coronary ARtery DIsease Genome-wide Replication And Meta-Analysis (CARDIoGRAM) "” published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics, an American Heart Association journal "” consists of data from every published whole-genome study on genetic mutations in heart attack or CAD risk. Researchers are also pooling data from...

Sensation seeking"”the urge to do exciting things"”has been linked to dopamine, a chemical that carries messages in your brain. For a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, scientists analyzed genes in the dopamine system and found a group of mutations that help predict whether someone is inclined toward sensation seeking.Sensation seeking has been linked to a range of behavior disorders, such as drug addiction. It isn't all...

New research has found that a genetic variant which reduces the chance of contracting diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy is more prevalent in populations with long histories of urban living.The research, published in the journal Evolution, shows that in areas with a long history of urban settlements, today's inhabitants are more likely to possess the genetic variant which provides resistance to infection.In ancient cities, poor sanitation and high population densities would have...

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Doctors cannot explain why one woman will develop ovarian cancer and another does not.  However, researchers have just identified four chromosome locations with genetic changes that are likely to alter a woman's risk of developing ovarian cancer. Spanning three continents and over 24,000 women, these findings have come from a large genome-wide associated study (GWAS) that has helped move researchers a major step closer to individualized risk assessment for ovarian...