Is Cloning Humans Next?

Chinese scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai have made a cloning breakthrough that hasn't been seen since the birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996. Researchers used the same cloning technique that was used to produce Dolly, to create two healthy monkeys. In the past cats, bovines, dogs, polo ponies, and pigs could be produced using cloning, but never before has anything in the primate family been cloned besides embryos. The monkeys created are two macaques, 7 to 8 weeks old, and are named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua. To create Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua it took 127 eggs and using a monkey fetus; researchers noted they are a long ways away from making this cloning process efficient for primates.

The creation of Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua raise many ethical questions due to that their conception opens up the door for humans to be cloned. The significance of this breakthrough caught the attention of the Vatican's top bioethicists. The Vatican's bioethicists urged that the cloning of the monkeys must only be used for the betterment of humanity. Scientists, law professors and ethicists ranging from institutions such as Michigan State University, Stanford, and Berkeley weighed in the conception of Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua. Many came to the same conclusions that cloning humans was unethical and even one going as far as to say it is "criminal." The chinese scientists who created these monkeys strongly emphasized that their overall goal is to use these monkeys to study diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua open up a door that could allow many breakthroughs in curing diseases and understanding how genetics work. I share a similar opinion with the experts on this one: humans should not be cloned. Many moral conundrums could arise from cloning, chiefly the concern is that people could be created for profit. 

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cloning/whatiscloning/

https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/01/25/science/ap-us-sci-cloned-monkeys.html

Decoding the Axolotl genome: Insights into tissue regeneration

In biology salamanders have become a model for evolutionary and developmental studies. In this study it focuses on one salamander, which is the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). They choose this salamander in particular because they are known for their ability to regenerate body parts. If this salamander looses a body part, within weeks the limb will grow back with, muscles, bones, and tissue. To understand regenerate and why it is very limited in most species, scientists need to have access to genome data. In the Axolotl due to their size, there are 32 billion base pairs, which is 10x larger than the human genome.


International team of researchers have now assembled, annotated, and sequenced the complete axolotl genome, which is the largest genome to ever be decoded. They did this using the PacBio-platform, which a sequencing technology that produces long reads to span large repetitive regions. Those who analyzed the assembled genome discovered many features that seem to point uniqueness of the axolotl. It was also discovered that an essential development gene named PAX3 is completely missing from the genome and it function has been taken over by another genome named PAX7. Both of these genes play a key role in muscle and neural development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180124131716.htm

https://www.mpg.de/11886639/decoding-the-axolotl-genome

The Flu Outbreak

The flu, one of the most deadly epidemics that broke out in 1918 and killed as many as 50 people. It is a virus infecting the respiratory system. There are three types of flu viruses which include the following: Type A, B, and C. Type A is the worst virus to obtain and is the virus that broke out and killed those 50 people in 1918. The best way to protect yourself from the flu is to get an annual vaccine. Scientists develop a new vaccine every fall. Getting vaccinated before flu season reduces your chances of getting the flu and helps you to recover faster if you do get it. The most common symptoms are fevers, chills, body aches, and weakness. Influenza is caused by a virus that is spread by touching a surface a person with the flu has touched and transmitting the virus to your mouth or nose.
There are many risk factors that arise in young children and adults from complications of the flu such as: chronic illness, pregnant woman, working in childcare, working in health care, etc. The best treatment care is bed rest and drinking plenty of fluids. Over the counter pain relievers also help reduce fevers and muscle aches. The flu is a serious virus to take precaution to. Not only does it make the body weaker but it has killed multiple people. It is important to sneeze and cough properly when sick and around others, also to constantly wash your hands. The flu is very contagious and is constantly spreading from one person to the next. Most people with a healthy immune system get over the flu in about 2 weeks. Approximately 35,000 people in the US die of the flu each year.

https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/influenza

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/01/25/heres-what-you-should-know-about-the-flu-season-this-year/?utm_term=.24f8a08bc18c

Immune Systems Holding Back Popular Gene Therapy Technique

Gene therapy is effectively being able to snip out unwanted genes and replacing them with a set of genes for more desirable traits. In a dream world, you could go to the nearest "gene therapist" and have them change any genetically controlled trait you might want removed or altered. People would be able to remove genes that make people more prone to particular diseases and disorders, change the color your hair is when it grows, increase intelligence, etc. with no repercussions. Currently, one of the most popularly experimented with methods is called CRISPR-Cas9, which ScientificAmerican recently reported on. CRISPR is a bacterial defense system which can be "programmed" to find and edit particular gene stretches. Cas9 is the enzyme attacks the target DNA and cuts it out. Cas9 has been effective in mice, but in recent experiments, CRISPR-Cas9 has been seen to trigger immune responses in mice. This isn't because CRISPR-Cas9 is dangerous, but rather, is due to what the Cas9 enzyme is derived from. As of right now, Cas9 is derived from either staphylococcus aureas or streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, more commonly referred to staph infection and strep throat. While Cas9 isn't dangerous in itself, organisms previously exposed to staph or strep may have antibodies that recognize it from past experiences. When this happens, Cas9 causes an immune response from the subject which could have adverse affects if it occurs in a human. Given that most adult humans have had at least strep or staph at some point in their lives, it seems that in its current state, CRISPR-Cas9 is probably not safe for human use yet. The idea has tons of potential, and hopefully, scientists can find ways to derive Cas9 from bacteria that won't trigger immune responses in humans...or mice.

Hermaphroditic roundworms lose half their genome from sister species when self fertilizing

An article done by the New York Times describes how tiny roundworms, Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis nigoni are extremely similar genetically, but very different in their sexual reproduction processes. In order for C. nigoni to mate, there needs to be a male and a female for fertilization to take place. This is different for C. briggsae however, in that they are able to self-fertilize by producing sperm to fertilize their own eggs. Because C. briggsae are hermaphroditic, there is no need for sexual reproduction. This genetic adaptation has occurred because there is a lack of males in the population. In a study published in Science in the beginning of January of 2018, biologists found that since the hermaphroditism took place in the one set of roundworms, it lost half of the genes since it broke away from C. nigoni approximately a million years ago. A study done by the University of Maryland-College Park concludes that this loss of genes is related to the male population which is dwindling in numbers. When introduced to the male secreted short genes (m.s.s.), C. briggsae produced more offspring than the hermaphroditic organisms. Dr. Haag from the University of Maryland-College Park suggests that these organisms leaning towards hermaphroditic lifestyles may “put a break on population”.


This article I found very interesting. It’s neat to see how hermaphroditic traits in one roundworm compared to their ancestral sister alter their entire genome. Although the roundworm C. briggsae do not yield as many offspring through self-fertilization unlike if they were to be in contact with a male, it provides evolutionary traits in that population growth and size can be halted/reduced. It’s also hard for these worms to find mates as well, which make it hard for new colonies of C. briggsae to get started.

(Related Article)

Can Genes Have An Affect on Obesity?

Many researchers have spent time identifying genetic variants that increase the risk of obesity, but are still trying to determine how these genes interact with other factors in our body to make us fat. Due to advances in molecular biology, the Human Genome Project helped to identify about 200 loci that point to genes that increase the risk of obesity. A genome-wide association study scanned many individuals’ DNA looking for what could be liking them to what causes obesity. The associations studies show obesity involves not just one gene but many genes and their influence seems to be low. Scientists are also trying to find more about the correlation between genes and the environment. Although obesity can be a pattern in some families, it is also a known fact that parents constantly cook and eat the same foods. Genes may not explain it all and can have a weak effect on some, but they can also have a stronger effect on those who are exposed to different environments.
According to another article in the NY Times, Dr. Majzoub and his colleagues wrote a paper figuring out how the gene known as MRAP2, acts in the brain to control weight. They discovered that it is a helper gene. It normally acts in the brain to signal another gene already known to be involved in controlling appetite. This article captured my attention because the questioning of whether genes can alter our obesity really had me thinking. Although, from my point of view, I always thought it could be from others having a faster metabolism then some, or most just choosing to eat what they want and not maintain a healthy lifestyle. I also began wondering if you were born into a family who all appear to be obese, can you most likely inherit those genes and be a little overweight too?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/genes-can-push-you-toward-obesity-but-there-are-things-you-can-do-to-prevent-that/2017/08/11/5bb7a80e-77ad-11e7-8f39-eeb7d3a2d304_story.html?utm_term=.2b2819a29972

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/health/overweight-maybe-you-really-can-blame-your-metabolism.html

Genetic Testing

A women named Katey Bennett was on Facebook one day where she came across a woman named Amanda Dunford in pictures, staring at a face completely identical to her own. Katey later coincidently received a message from Amanda saying they were twin sisters. Amanda was getting a medical procedure done and to get more answers, used genetic testing, which revealed health and ancestry information. When she read the family results it said she shared a 23-out-of-23 chromosome match with someone, therefore revealing she had a twin. With the help of a DNA test the two sisters were reunited for the first time in 33 years since they were adopted by different families. Both sisters were aired on a TV show to go forth with more genetic testing to find one or both of their biological parents. I found this article to be interesting because I also have a sister that I could not live without. For Katey and Amanda it must have felt as if a piece of them was missing. In a matter of fact, for Amanda to be going in for a medical procedure, not even having the intention of finding out she has a twin sister is also incredible and an eye opener for many other reasons. For those who don’t know, genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is the sequencing of human DNA in order to discover genetic differences, abnormalities, and mutations that may prove pathological. According to the NY Times, genetic testing of embryos has soared and more disease causing genes have been discovered. Although these tests can be expensive, they make it possible for families to ensure that their children will or will not inherit a busted gene. Chapter one in the Genetics textbook by Pierce also discusses how a majority of these discoveries and applications often have significant economic and ethical implications, making the study of Genetics relevant.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-woman-did-dna-test-discovered-she-had-twin-sister/2018/01/12/0949cb52-f7c2-11e7-9af7-a50bc3300042_story.html?utm_term=.ed03163e4ff4



https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/health/ethics-questions-arise-as-genetic-testing-of-embryos-increases.html

Does a ‘Strong’ Immune System Ward Off Colds and Flu?

              Researchers have recommended healthy habits and lifestyle to help boost a person’s immune system. Having a stronger immune system will prevent the body from infections, viruses, diseases and having a quicker recovery from sickness. There are many ways to keep a good immune system by being a non-smoker, non second hand smoker, regularly washing hands, healthy diet, getting enough sleep and exercising. Although, having a “strong” immune system can also be by luck, meaning certain genetics (with no clear specifics) can naturally boost someone. As Dr. Pritish Tosh said, “someone might have a particular genetic ability to generate antibodies against certain types of virus like the flu, for instance.” Every person is different with health and their body’s response to sickness due to their genetic composition, however, regardless of genetics, every person should follow a healthy lifestyle and not completely rely on genetics. Overall, the better a person’s immune system is the better chance of warding off colds or the flu.

             I thought this article was interesting and important considering the flu is active in most areas of the U.S and is currently in the peak of the season, which is from November to March. Also, there are many articles and the news is spreading the awareness that this current flu season is getting worse and is particularly rough on kids. I think spreading the awareness reminds people how important it is to take care of themselves and their kids. Today’s society and environment, it is hard to follow a healthy lifestyle because of busy schedules and many life stresses but it’s a reminder to them that health (physically and mentally) is always a priority! It’s a routine that needs to take place in family’s so they can grow healthy together and to teach their kids about health.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/29/well/live/does-a-strong-immune-system-ward-off-colds-and-flu.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fask-well

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/01/21/flu-season-getting-worse-as-illness-has-lot-more-steam-than-expected.html

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=122