[ad_1] As it turns out, at least one of the island’s mammoths had a string of genetic defects. There were issues with male fertility, neurological development, insulin signalling and even the ability to smell flowers. This suggests the mammoths might have been hurt by their small population size (300 to 500) and isolation from the […]
Category: genetics
23andMe lays off 100 workers amid shrinking demand for DNA tests
[ad_1] Company chief Anne Wojcicki didn’t have definitive explanations for the shrinking sales in a chat with CNBC, but did speculate that privacy was “top of mind” for customers and might have been a factor. Cold cases like the Golden State Killer appear to have been solved using online DNA databases — there might be […]
23andMe’s VIP service includes a one-on-one chat to explain your DNA
[ad_1] How does a DNA testing service like 23andMe convince you to shell out more when the base results are the same? By rolling out the red carpet, it seems. The company has introduced a $499 VIP Health + Ancestry Service that includes two Health + Ancestry kits, faster lab processing, overnight shipping, a year […]
Justice Department sets rules for using genealogy sites to solve crimes
[ad_1] The policy generally limits law enforcement to considering genealogy sites when a candidate sample belongs to a possible culprit, or when a likely homicide victim is unidentified. Prosecutors can greenlight the use of these sites for violent crimes beyond murder and sexual assault, but only when the circumstances create a “substantial and ongoing threat” […]
Gene editing tool could treat many diseases created by mutations
[ad_1] In lab testing, this had dramatic effects on progeria, a premature aging disease. Mice treated with SATI lived about 45 percent longer while seeing reduced aging effects. That would translate to over a decade for a human affected by the same condition. As is often the case with gene editing treatments, there’s still work […]
Gene-modified viruses rescue patient from drug-resistant ‘superbug’
[ad_1] The team found three bacteriophages that could be useful (including one from a rotting eggplant) and modified them to maximize their ability to target and wipe out the bacteria strain. Once this was ready, they gave the teen twice-daily infusions as well as surface treatments on the skin lesions resulting from the infection. The […]
How calculus is helping unravel DNA’s secrets
[ad_1] Infinite Powersby Steven Strogatz Calculus has provided humanity a window into the inner workings of the world around us since the fateful day Isaac Newton got conked by a falling apple. But we’ve only ever really applied these mathematical tools to our “hard” sciences, like physics or chemistry. Heck, we probably wouldn’t have discovered […]
CRISPR gene editing has been used on humans in the US
[ad_1] It’s not certain how effective the treatment has been, and you won’t find out for a while when the trial has been cleared to treat a total of 18 patients. You won’t hear more about it until there’s been a presentation or a peer-reviewed paper, the university said. Other trials, such as ones for […]
China says it cloned a police dog to speed up training
[ad_1] The pup was reportedly cloned by plucking somatic cells (used relatively often in cloning) from the skin of the adult dog, creating a cloned embryo and implanting that into a beagle for birth. Researcher Wan Jiusheng said that Kunxun was promising — there’s “good aptitude” for sniffing and other skills needed in a police […]
FDA removes restrictions on genetically modified salmon
[ad_1] FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb stressed that the genetic changes had been deemed safe for the animal, safe to eat and wouldn’t have a “significant” impact on the environment. AquaBounty’s modifications use DNA from other fish to grow salmon at a faster rate, raising concerns about contamination. However, they’re also bred to be female and […]