r/genetics

DNA.

I would 100% support the collection of, and documentation of the DNA of every American... AFTER they pass away.

Let's look at the "pros and cons"....

PROS: Families that have been waiting for years, or even decades, to find out where their family member just disappeared to... now know. Or families who had a loved one who was murdered, there was DNA left at the scene... but it was never matched... then, Joe Schmoe dies, and voila, we now know who killed them.

Total "win" for detectives working "cold cases".

Medical research and advancement... study genetics, hereditary conditions, drug responses and aging... potentially saving lives through better treatments.

Doesn't violate any individual 4th Amendment rights.... you're dead... it's not like you can buy a gun, or protest.

Could help with genealogical research and help people reconnect with long lost biological relatives.

CONS:
Nobody wants another government database.
Slippery slope... would need to keep it from expanding.
Ethical/religious grounds... That's a tough one... you're dead... but other people may mind... I'll touch on this at the end of the post.
Cost... this wouldn't be cheap.

The biggest CON I see though, is the effects this could have on those still alive... and we'd have to weigh them against the benefits... let me put up an example.

Jon Q. Pastor is outwardly a kind and generous pastor of a local church... having appeared to those who interact with him over his daily life, think he's a great guy.

Jon Q. passes away.... sad... he was a good guy.

Three months later, after his DNA is uploaded to the database, Jon Q's DNA gives multiple hits, to multiple DNA samples collected from murder sites across the area.

Investigators dig in... putting together data from the DNA database, linking Jon Q. to 16 murders in the area, over the past 40 years.

Now Jon Q. is a serial killer... not the fine, upstanding human everyone knew up until he passed away.

This could be horrible for a family... And how far would they go in their investigation? Would they say "we need to get his electronic devices", and next thing you know, they're raiding his, still living, family member's home?

Overall, I think the benefits outweigh the costs... but there would definitely have to be some "safeguards" in place.

Do you have an opinion?

I'm looking to expand my reading list and want to dive deeper into evolutionary biology, specifically through the lens of genetics, molecular evolution, or heredity.

What are your absolute favorite books on how genes shape evolution, population genetics, or the history of evolutionary theory?
Thanks in advance ✨

I was going down a random genetics rabbit hole last night when a thought hit me.

If I go back far enough in my family tree, there are hundreds, even thousands, of people who are my ancestors. But every generation only passes down a portion of their DNA, and that DNA gets shuffled around each time.

That made me wonder: is it possible that some of my ancestors are still part of my family tree, but I don't carry a single piece of their DNA anymore?

In other words, could someone's genetic contribution completely disappear over the generations, even though they're directly responsible for me existing today?

The idea feels strange. How can someone be your ancestor, yet leave no detectable DNA behind in you?

Is that actually how genetics works, or am I misunderstanding something?

I have heard of big genomes in bacteria or plants where the plant itself hasn't a preceiveable ability for the genetic material as we understand it.

But what about,, genomes in general that have many abilities? what about small genomes with maybe uncommon high amounts of abilities?

And lastly, how would this sort of study be applied to evolutionary science where metrics/data can predict how evolution might spur suddenly or even where it is headed?

I am totally grasping at straws here.. But since I have gotten a gene test that found a VUS in MYH7, because of my mom’s diagnosis of HCM, I have been an absolute anxious disaster. I feel like I am doomed and I am constantly filled with dread. I honestly wish I never got the genetic testing done and just did continuous cardiac followups, but hindsight is 20/20.

The variant was classified as VUS on my genetic report, but on my mom’s genetic report the same variant is classified as Pathogenic through a different lab. And obviously she has HCM. In Clinvar it is conflicting pathogenicity.

I am just trying to get any information I possibly can. I have literally been destroyed over this and terrified. This has come as a total shock to me. Does anyone have any way you can see information that I can’t regarding my variant? Access to Varsome or anything that can help me understand something!! Literally anything. Is it at all possible for this to be benign, or is it safe for me to assume this is a fully pathogenic variant?

The variant is: p.Ala850Thr in MYH7

Please feel free to dm me with any info

(I am seeing a genetic counselor but not for a while)

I've been looking for some sort of detailed explanation for this but it's all in bits and pieces. basically I wanted to ask certain things and it'll be great if someone could connect them all as one explanation pls.

1. what is it about the ice age and Bering strait that we're talking here? what are both of them and what's the timeline of these things?

2. i picked that epicanthic folds developed for protection from cold and harsh weather then why do we not see it in the european people?

3. I saw some mentions of how all humans started from East Africa then travelled around to populate the world, so did we develop our features according to places we went to populate as evolution happened (dumb addition - but would that mean that at one point we all might've looked alike?) so I need some kind of background on that too if you could provide (how, what, when, what after)

4. besides the epicanthic fold, did the other features in different groups develop differently? like bone structure, skull shape and others? what do these structures and shapes mean and how do they show up from region to region?

I think that'll all be from my end. please please connect your points together in a structured way according to the timelines so that I can understand it better.

if you use any technical terms pls explain those as well, if you feel any other point needs to be added to the explanation that I've not mentioned then kindly do. and pls don't give ai answers🙏🏻

i wanted to put this on the obesity subreddit because its more topical there, but I want to know if there's any real studies being done on this because it seems like it could be a significant factor

so this starts from the data from the Dutch famine, where there's a significant correlation epigenetically between starvation and obesity (among other things) when inflicted during gestation, iirc especially during the first trimester

since a lot of women have body image issues because of societal reasons, there's a large amount of people who live in a calorie deficit. if they get pregnant while in a calorie deficit, it would increase that babies odds of becoming obese or developing schizophrenia, especially if they dont know theyre pregnant yet. on top of that becoming fat from pregnancy is still stigmatised for some reason there's probably a lot of people who are eating less than they should their whole pregnancy, and then having an obese child.

idk it just seems like that could be a large contributor to the increased obesity rates, especially in the US where those unattainable body standards are really socially enforced.

I'm gonna keep researching,, I still only have a surface level understanding

A handful of start-up firms are testing therapies that target specific epigenetic markers to treat everything from high cholesterol to a rare muscular disorder

Hi, first post here so sorry if I missed a rule! I am studying for an upcoming exam, and came across the term "synthetic phenotype". I have found some very minimal explanations of this term, but would really prefer more information. What I've got so far, is that it is a phenotype that shows only in presence of two mutations. However, can those two genetic events happen anywhere? Or is it within both alleles of the same trait?

I would greatly appreciate an explanation and/or pointers as to where I can read the info myself. I would also be very grateful if anyone can recommend a good book for more advanced genetics (already have Molecular Biology of the Gene -Watson, Encyclopedia of Genetics -Brenner, Essentials of Genetics -Klug and ofc Molecular Biology of the Cell)

Thanks!

CW: Miscarriage

My partner (28m) and I (29f) have been trying to have a baby for three years. I've been pregnant 6 times now, currently pregnant with the 6th) and have never made it past 7.5weeks. After years of testing from both me and my partner, all of the specialists I've seen have no answers as to why I keep having early losses.

In 2020 I found out I have the ATM gene mutation which is linked to breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. My dad was diagnosed that year with prostate cancer and the ATM mutation, which led me to get tested as well.

Every doctor and OBGYN I've spoken with has no idea what the gene mutation is and assumes it has nothing to do with my miscarriages, and the genetics team I met with said there isn't enough research currently to know if the two are connected.

I'm convinced my ovaries have been affected by the ATM mutation in some way and that it must be why I can't stay pregnant.

I'm just trying to do my own research now and see if anyone else has had this unique combination of health concerns?

TL;DR Anyone out there also have the ATM gene mutation and recurrent pregnancy loss??

not counseling. just the research side I can’t stand being around people all day and having to meet their emotional needs I’m autistic. I have a BA in psychology and I am willing to do some prereqs but like people keep saying it’s better to do a PhD it’s better and I’m like I do not want a PhD. I JUST want to do research. people make this out like I’m asking for a fairy unicorn. please help . DO NOT coerce me into getting a PhD. Do not belittle my major.

I'm 25 and thinking about leaving IT because I honestly hate it and don't see myself working in this field long-term.

I've always been fascinated by genetics and want to eventually work in gene editing/genetic engineering, especially involving animals and humans. I'm considering starting a bachelor's degree in Genomics, but I'm confused about the path afterward.

I can find jobs called "genetic engineer," yet I rarely see master's programs with that exact name. What do people usually study after a Genomics degree to enter this field? Biotechnology, molecular biology, something else?

Is changing careers at 25 for this goal worth it, or am I being unrealistic? I'd love to hear from people already working in genetics or biotech.

I have had my whole genome sequenced privately in Italy to keep it out of the hands of US medical system. I have used different services to look at that data but I really need a genetic counselor to answer and go over some things as I am just a layperson. Could anybody recommend the best way to find and hire a genetic counselor?

can someone please break this down to me? im completely lost and also very upset with how this question may and has been answered, because i believe that this was answered with malicious intention or something more than evil foundational belief. my questions is trying to understand how genetic variation affects cognitive ability? more specifically, the Dickens-Flynn model (the gene-environment multiplier) what are the best modern studies showing how tiny initial genetic variances in cognition are multiplied by environmental feedback loops to create massive IQ gaps