Sunday, February 13, 2011
Identical Twins' Genes Are Not Identical
Before I read this article I would of bet good money that identical twins genes are identical, and I would have lost. Research done by Geneticist Carl Bruder of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his colleagues showed the differences in the genome of two identical twins. Until Bruder came upon these findings any differences in the lives of twins was labeled as an environmental cause. Now the census is to look at the twins and their genome. Maybe it is not all environmental causes that allow one twin to have a disease and the other to be healthy. The article told about how twins have multiple copies of genes. These areas, instead of having a two sets of genetic data, have multiple gene copies. These areas are in a state of copy number variants. The easiest way for researchers to separate nature vs nurture was to do testing on twins. Because of the previous notion that there were genetically similar it eliminated a variable, but that variable may be back after Carl Bruders findings. But instead twins can help scientists find specific gene locus that identify genetic disorders. Another interesting point of this research was to help put the right twin in jail! In Virgina alone there are 80 pairs of identical twins in jail. If one twin is seeing committing a crime, and the other has no alibi it can be hard for a court to decide who is guilty. "So hopefully looking at copy number variants of two twins can help sort that out."
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This is really interesting. I grew up with neighbors who were identical twins. There were definite differences once you got to know them. It's really odd to think that our genome changes with exposure to environmental influences. We have all been taught to think that we can do nothing about our genes. I wonder if we can use this potential research for genetic therapy of some sort. Plus, it kind of throws out the idea that you can't help certain things like obesity or being overweight because it's genetic. I always wondered about that theory anyway; it's not like everyone our great-grandparents age, (think during the depression), were obese and not only obese people are reproducing. So where did this idea come from? There are probably a lot of things like this that are environmentally affected moreso than simply genetics. Plus, if we can learn what causes the changes environmentally, we can figure out a way to prevent or reverse them.
ReplyDeleteI understand how identical twins may accumulate changes in their genetic code as they age due to environmentally-caused mutations, but how can they start life with copy number variants if they come from the same egg? This is very interesting, but unless there is a way of obtaining a DNA sample from the crime scene, how will genetic differences help investigators find out who committed the crime?
ReplyDeleteWow, that is actually remarkable. Unbelievable. Without the research there is no way anyone would believe the fact that there are variants in the genes of identical twins!
ReplyDeleteThat is actually remarkable. Unbelievable. Without the research there is no way anyone would believe the fact that there are variants in the genes of identical twins!
ReplyDelete@ostc
ReplyDeleteI suppose genetic differences help in investigations, because they would be able to tell the difference from the evidence which would be blood or maybe a strand of hair, or some sort of bodily fluids.
Identical twins has always been something that I could never quite understand. There are many identical twins that are totally opposite one another and then another group of twins that can't be separated and have the same mannerisms and lifestyle. While I do believe that genetics plays a very large role in identical twins and the genes affect their life; the way the twins are raised will play a larger role and potentially have an effect on ones genome.
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