Linking Dog Behavior and Genetics

 

    In a study done among 101 dog breeds, it was found that certain behaviors were related between genetically similar breeds. It is common knowledge that different breeds of dogs differ in their behavior, but the genetics behind this have been of interest in recent years. In performing this study, data came from databases as well as surveys from dog owners, asking dog owners about their purebred dog's behavior. They collected data from over 14,000 dogs, and gave each dog a score on fourteen different behaviors. Geneticists analyzed these behavior scores, looking for genetic similarities between dogs who had similar behavior scores. They discovered that for behaviors such as aggression, trainability, and chasing, genes contributed between 60% to 70% of behavioral variation among breeds. For example, border collies and poodles had higher trainability scores while chihuahuas had higher aggression scores. The strong correlation between certain behaviors and genetics shows that the specific behaviors that genetics play a role in have been selected over time by humans. Humans have bred for specific traits, which is increasing the correlation. 

    The scientists also looked into specific genetic variants that might also contribute to behavioral differences. 131 out of thousands of variants stood out, but after much research, it was decided that no single gene was very closely related to any behavior. This just means that differences in behavior between breeds is affected by multiple genes, all interacting with each other. Although genes do play a role in the predisposition of behavior in dogs, environment still plays a role in dog behavior. That being said, I think that environment may play a larger role in dog behavior than genes. If a dog is raised in an abusive home, most of the time, they will be more aggressive and hostile, solely because of the way they have been treated. On the contrary, if you raise a dog in a positive, healthy environment, they will most likely be friendlier. A trait that I think could be affected more by genes than environment however, would be trainability. It would be interesting to see more research done on that trait in different dog breeds. 

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/dog-breed-behavior-genetics

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/genes-play-role-dog-breed-differences-behavior

Why does my body wake me up around 3am every night?

 

Many factors play a role as to why a person wakes up at a specific time every day/night. Anxiety, bright light, hormone levels, acid reflux, jet lag among many others can affect a person's sleep cycle. A biological clock regulates the bodies timing process and with that comes circadian rhythm that controls a person's sleep cycle, which includes REM sleep and non-REM sleep. These are steps in the sleep cycle, which are important to help stimulate the brain and allow it to rest. According to "The Conversation", there are at least 15 genes within the body that help control the sleep cycle. SIKI, is a gene that revealed a new pathway relating to resetting the a person's internal clock. Another gene discovered gives someone a big advantage especially if they fly to different time zones a lot. ID2 is a gene that that regulates a person's internal clock based on light. ID2 can help with jet lag because the person with this gene is able to adjust to a new time zone faster than others. Overall there are many different explanations that can answer why someone wakes up a specific time every night. Some of which can be controlled by setting a regular sleep schedule and others can't.

Asthma and Genetics

     The one thing that keeps every single organism alive is the ability to breath in oxygen. It is the natural mechanism to keep us alive by means of our lungs being able to operate. But, one of the most challenging things that some people have to face in their life is asthma. It can be simply explained as one's airway being clogged with something, whether it is mucus or foreign particles, causing hardships in breathing. One risk factor that one can use to determine if they will be victim to this pesky disease is genetics. Like a lot of things, if asthma is seen in higher generations in one's family, then they have a higher chance to get asthma than someone who has no family history of it. According to studies done, 70% of the risk factor for getting asthma has to do with genetics. This is something that can not be controlled since the odds for getting it are high if someone else has it. My brother had asthma his whole life, and I did not have it until early 2018. This could have multiple causes to it, but since it runs in my family, me and my brother were both born with the gene that could produce this disease.

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/allergic-asthma/#inheritance

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324447#symptoms

APOE gene and Susceptibility to COVID-19

 Subject: APOE gene, Alzheimers and COVID-19

Article: Genetics risk factors for Alzheimers also raise the risk of getting COVID-19 

When it comes to the susceptibility of contracting COVID-19, recent tests during the pandemic have stated that two versions of the APOE gene had been the cause. The general function of the APOE gene is to provide the instructions to make lipoproteins which are responsible for there being a healthy level of cholesterol in the body to prevent a clotting, a heart attack, or strokes. It is most common for people to have the APOE3 gene then the APOE4 gene.  People with the APOE4 gene are more likely to develop early onset Alzheimers if both copies of the gene are present and therefore they are more likely to contract the corona virus than those with APOE3 gene. The studies showed that people with dementia and carried the APOE4 allele were also more susceptible to serious symptoms of the virus compared to those with APOE3 and those with a copy of each gene are less likely to contract the virus compared to those who have both APOE3. So far it is not known why it's the case. But because the APOE gene provides instructions to make proteins it should be further looked into if their proteins have nothing to do with antibodies since they are carried in the blood and are able to recognize pathogens. Further studies could lead to what other susceptible diseases are as a result of having either versions of this gene. 

 Article link: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-covid-19-genetic-risk-factors-alzheimers-diseas

Supporting link(s): https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/apoe/#:~:text=The%20APOE%20gene%20provides%20instructions,carrying%20them%20through%20the%20bloodstream. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384159/#:~:text=ApoE4%20contains%20an%20arginine%20residue,with%20respect%20to%20this%20disease. 

Main Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/topic/genetics

The Link Between Your Genes and COVID-19

 

        According to this article it is possible that genes can determine one's risk factor for COVID-19. If scientists discover ways to link genetics and COVID-19 together then finding cures and drugs to treat the virus will become much easier. Simple genetics testing founded from universal healthcare can help detect genes that cause people to be more susceptible to COVID-19. The genes can also tell us when and how to fight the virus. In my opinion genetic testing can help us find COVID cures faster.

https://elemental.medium.com/genetics-could-explain-why-some-people-with-covid-19-get-sicker-than-others-d8b28aa915b1

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2020283

Idaho Police Reopening Cold Cases to Solve With Genetic Geneaology

     In the article posted by Post-Register, it was mentioned that the police force in Idaho will be putting efforts into improving their forensic services. More specifically the forensic service they are putting money into is a new technique called forensic molecular genealogy. The Idaho police force intends to use this technique to solve previously closed cold cases. The usual problem that is encountered with the DNA database is that the criminals DNA is not on file; however with genetic genealogy DNA samples are compared to samples provided for open-access and criminals samples. Therefore, there would be a higher probability that the criminal could be found. I found this article to be very well-written, and I look forward to hearing whether they were able to solve any of the cold cases they reopened. In my opinion I believe the use of genetic genealogy in the forensic field is very novel. However, I find the security behind open-access DNA samples to be suspicious, as it is speculated the information donated may be sold to other companies.  

SARS-CoV-2's Origin

 

In an article from The Science Times, the origins of the SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease, is discussed. The two leading possibilities of its origins at the moment are that the virus is natural or it is man made. New research from the Wiley Online Library shows that features of the genetic structure, specifically the viruses' chimeric structure and furin cleavage site. This doesn't prove where the virus originated from though, its structure only shows that the possibility that this is man made can't be ruled out. I hope researchers can come up with more evidence to find out where the virus came from. I also hope it isn't man made because that would be a messy situation if it was. 

Company Uses DNA to Sketch Criminal Faces

 

    A company called Parabon Nanolabs sparked controversy in May 2019 for comparing DNA profiles of criminal suspects on genealogy databases and connecting family trees to track them down and build their profiles. Genealogists at Parabon Nanolabs utilzed a free DNA database website called GEDMatch, intended to find long-lost relatives, to generate data to find suspects. In 2011, the company was granted access and funding to use a technique called DNA phototyping where a person's appearance is reconstructed from their DNA (Nature Research, 2020). In constructing their appearances, most labs search for relationships in an individual's SNPs (single-polynucleotide morphisms) and physical characteristics (Nature Research, 2020). As a result, other companies are now developing and researching DNA phototyping in less controversial ways. GEDMatch previously permitted access to these profiles to law enforcement to help solve crimes. However, the company lost its source of DNA data due to backlash of genealogists and privacy experts in a Utah case as the largest criticism received were concerns of privacy (Nature Research, 2020).

Sources:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02545-5