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Genetics

All articles tagged with #genetics

science2 days ago

Ancient DNA Rewrites Europe’s Post-Rome Story

A multinational study of genomes from over 300 individuals in the Little Hungarian Plain shows a shift from southern to northern European ancestry after Rome’s fall, linked to the Lombard expansion. The findings reveal complex, localized population movements that produced diverse, hierarchical post-Roman societies rather than a single mass migration or simple conquest, highlighting that material culture and genetic ancestry can diverge as newcomers integrated with local populations.

via SciTechDaily|
#ancient-dna#archaeology#genetics
Donor Sperm Dilemma Tests a Marriage’s Plan for Parenthood
advice3 days ago

Donor Sperm Dilemma Tests a Marriage’s Plan for Parenthood

A husband learns his wife wants to conceive with donor sperm to avoid passing along his inherited nose, sparking a debate about genetics, eugenics, and trust. The advice columnist cautions that decisions about a child’s genetic makeup are deeply personal and should be made jointly, notes that donor conception can still bring unexpected outcomes, and urges couples to navigate hopes, insecurities, and values together rather than rushing to a drastic solution.

via Slate Magazine|
#advice#donor-sperm#family
Ancient DNA rewrites the role of women in prehistoric societies
archaeology5 days ago

Ancient DNA rewrites the role of women in prehistoric societies

New ancient-DNA data is overturning the long-held view that prehistoric societies were uniformly male-dominated. Examples include a Stonehenge-era grave once thought to be male that DNA shows belonged to a woman goldsmith, and a Birka Viking burial that proved a woman fought or led with weapons. As genetic research expands, sites like Çatalhöyük reveal female lineages and possible matrilineal inheritance, while Iron Age Britain shows matrilocal patterns and several cases of matrilineal descent. The emerging picture is a regional, time‑slotted patchwork of gender roles—some women held power or fought; others did not—reflecting a more nuanced prehistoric social landscape.

via Live Science|
#archaeology#gender-roles#genetics
Invisible Itch: How PFIC in Adults Can Mask a Liver Problem
health8 days ago

Invisible Itch: How PFIC in Adults Can Mask a Liver Problem

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) can cause severe internal itching in adults, often without visible skin signs and with normal liver imaging, leading to delays or misdiagnosis as a skin condition. PFIC is a spectrum, not just a childhood disease, and diagnosis relies on symptoms plus genetic testing rather than scans. Awareness is growing and treatments like BYLVAY (odevixibat) can relieve itch for many patients, though effectiveness varies by PFIC type and there are potential side effects; patients are advised to consult an adult hepatologist and connect with PFIC support networks for diagnosis and management.

via vox.com|
#genetics#health#liver-disease
Ancient Neanderthal Variant Promotes Extra Muscle in Some Modern Humans
science11 days ago

Ancient Neanderthal Variant Promotes Extra Muscle in Some Modern Humans

A Neanderthal variant of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) in modern humans boosts growth hormone signaling, with cells showing ~40% faster growth after hormone exposure and carriers gaining about 270 g more muscle on average. The variant's frequency varies by population (rare in Europeans, higher in parts of South and East Asia; ~24% in a Pakistani cohort). The effect appears during puberty rather than birth, contributing to a stockier build but not fully explaining Neanderthal anatomy; nearby genetic differences may also influence the traits.

via Archaeology News Online Magazine|
#genetics#growth-hormone-receptor#muscle-mass
Psychoactive Mushroom Produces Fairy-Tale Hallucinations While Defying Known Psychedelics
science11 days ago

Psychoactive Mushroom Produces Fairy-Tale Hallucinations While Defying Known Psychedelics

University of Utah researchers sequenced Lanmaoa asiatica and confirmed it can produce vivid "tiny people" hallucinatory experiences across cultures, yet the mushroom lacks the typical psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin or ibotenic acid, leaving the exact biochemical mechanism unknown; the study also identified multiple Lanmaoa species and is building an evolutionary map for how this trait arose.

via Gizmodo|
#biology#genetics#mycology
Rare FNIP1 Mutations Link Fat Burning to Lower Cardiometabolic Risk
science12 days ago

Rare FNIP1 Mutations Link Fat Burning to Lower Cardiometabolic Risk

A Nature study of over a million people found rare, protein-truncating FNIP1 mutations that lift a cellular energy brake, nudging the body to burn fat, improve fat distribution, and cut cardiometabolic disease risk by about 60%; lab and mouse experiments support the mechanism, suggesting FNIP1 as a potential drug target, though safety and efficacy of inhibiting FNIP1 are not yet proven.

via ScienceAlert|
#cardiometabolic-disease#fat-distribution#fnip1
Amazon Discovery Reveals Two New Anaconda Species and Pollution's Toll
science15 days ago

Amazon Discovery Reveals Two New Anaconda Species and Pollution's Toll

During a National Geographic shoot in the Amazon with Will Smith, scientists encountered a 7.5-meter green anaconda and revealed that what was once considered a single species is actually two: the Ecuadorian and Brazilian green anacondas. Ecuadorian snakes are longer on average; pronounced male–female size differences influence their prey choices; heavy-metal testing found males carry up to ten times more lead and cadmium due to oil pollution, illustrating how contaminants move up the food chain and threatening biodiversity, especially the Brazilian species with its smaller range.

via Earth.com|
#amazon-rainforest#anaconda#biodiversity
Vaccines aim to stop Lynch syndrome–driven colon cancer before it starts
health16 days ago

Vaccines aim to stop Lynch syndrome–driven colon cancer before it starts

Researchers are testing vaccines designed to train the immune system to recognize and destroy precancerous Lynch syndrome–driven cells, with early trials showing reduced precancerous polyps and polyp-free colonoscopies in some participants. Several vaccines are in development (Nouscom in the US/UK, Moderna via Oxford, ImmunityBio) aiming to prevent colorectal cancer before it starts, potentially reducing the need for yearly colonoscopies for high-risk individuals. Results are early but promising for those with inherited cancer risk and their families.

via CNN|
#cancer-vaccines#colon-cancer#genetics
Avocado Flowers Flip Gender Daily, Revealing a Clocklike Genetic Switch
science17 days ago

Avocado Flowers Flip Gender Daily, Revealing a Clocklike Genetic Switch

Scientists have pinpointed the genetic basis of avocado temporal dichogamy—the daily switch between female and male flowers—driven by the SDMYB clock gene. Across hundreds of trees, A-type varieties open female flowers in the morning and male flowers in the afternoon, while B-types do the opposite. The SDMYB gene has two alleles; A-types carry one of each, B-types two recessives, enabling quick typing without flowering. Published in PNAS 2026, the finding can speed breeding and orchard design (e.g., using B-type pollinizers to boost A-type yields), though commercial Hass fruit remains an A-type, and gene editing remains years away.

via ScienceAlert|
#avocado#breeding#flowering
Lifespan ceiling? Mutations may cap human life around 150–190 years, study finds
science17 days ago

Lifespan ceiling? Mutations may cap human life around 150–190 years, study finds

A Skolkovo Institute study in NPJ Aging uses a mathematical model to estimate a hard human lifespan limit if only DNA mutations remain as aging causes; average life is projected at about 146–194 years, with some potentially over 550. The cap would come from irreversible damage to the heart and brain, while other organs renew. The model is simplified and doesn’t account for organ interactions, but it offers a starting point toward a broader aging theory; experts note ageing could also be driven by cellular programming rather than wear and tear.

via BBC Science Focus Magazine|
#aging#biogerontology#genetics
Ancient Neanderthal Variant Still Shapes Muscles and Jaws in Modern Humans
anthropology17 days ago

Ancient Neanderthal Variant Still Shapes Muscles and Jaws in Modern Humans

A study comparing modern and Neanderthal genomes found a Neanderthal variant of the growth hormone receptor that enhances growth signaling and persists in non-African populations, especially in some South and East Asian groups where about 20% carry it. Carriers tend to be taller and heavier due to increased muscle mass, and exhibit Neanderthal-like jaw traits (shorter mandibular ramus, higher overbite, shorter tooth roots). Effects emerge around puberty, with lab experiments showing faster cell growth and stronger signaling in cells with the Neanderthal receptor. The variant is one of many factors influencing body shape and is not the sole determinant of the modern human physique.

via Sci.News|
#anthropology#genetics#growth-hormone-receptor