Genetics | Comprehensive Health & Medicine Resource

The Link Bteween Obesity and Genetics

Picture of an Obese Teenager (146kg/322lb) wit...

Obesity is a growing problem within American society. With each passing year, the percentage of Americans who become obese has drastically grown, turning into an epidemic. Through this problem, there has been a growing list of health problems associated with obesity; issues such as heart attacks, diabetes, and cancer are all on the rise as a result. Medical researchers are trying to find a link between prospective causes of obesity to assist in finding a way to stop the hermmorhaging before it spirals innately out of control. Since research began, there are two common links that are assisting in the rise of the obesity rate; eating habits and genetics.

Genetics

The concept of a bad diet is fairly self explanatory, in that if someone consumes too much fatty foods that are processed, they are going to gain weight. However, the concept of genetics is something that many people are not familiar with as it pertains to obesity. The genetics involved in obesity deal with a lot of factors, among some of the most common being: bone structure, immune system and metabolism. All of these factors help contribute to determing a persons weight, on top of outside and environmental elements.

Research has found that as Americans continue to over eat and become obese, remaining in the state of woeful unhealthy daily life, they inadvertantly are changing their genetic makeup to reflect this. They then pass these newly created genetics to their children while simultaneously raising them in the same unhealthy way; promoting unhealthy eating and lack of exercise.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Genetic disorder Tagged With: Genetics, Health, Obesity

All About Human Genome Sequencing

There have been various advances in the technology in the last few decades. As the technology has improved, the various fields that are related to it including genetics has also improved. The role and the use of technology in the field of genetics has been amazing to say the least.

The latest trend is the one in which the human genome sequencing is being tried. There have been several successes in the past, where the genes of various animals and organisms have been successfully sequenced. A few of the major successes have been the gene mapping of round worm and the fruit fly. It is being said that the human genes are also very similar to that of the other animals. In fact scientists say that the genes of the mice and the genes of the humans are very similar.

The genome sequencing or the complete gene mapping for humans involves the process in which all the genes are mapped. This will help a lot in the process of research. There are many situations where the people who suffer from certain diseases pass on the disease to the future generations. The role of genetics is to try and prevent the genes from transferring the diseases from one person to the offspring.

Other than the prevention of such diseases being carried, the role of genetics is also present in the treatment of such diseases by methods like gene therapy where a transgene is transferred to the diseased person. This transferred gene will overcome the disease that is present. All these are possible mainly because of the mapping of the genes. The human genome sequencing is a very tough job because of the thousands of genes that are present, which can cause changes in the traits of a person. In fact, there seems to be about 38,000 genes that need to be sequenced.

Filed Under: Genetics, Health Tagged With: Full genome sequencing, Gene, Genetics

Atavism in Action

There are many examples of atavism in the animal kingdom, including that of human beings who have traits which represent our evolutionary past. Atavism is defined as having a trait’s absence for several generations and then having its subsequent reappearance in a life form. In a lot of cases, many species will occasionally show signs that they used to have a trait which they no longer do, and have not had for a very long time. It appears in cases as diverse as whales, snakes, chickens and humans, and most likely happens to some extent in every species which has evolved out of the primordial muck from which all the life we know of sprung. Such is the way that a species’ past can be known.

Did you know that humans have all of the genetic traits necessary to have a tail, if certain conditions were to be met? While humans almost never grow tails (and those which some people do grow are vestigial), the tendency is present in every single one of us to do just that. And in a similar vein, did you know that chickens have all of the DNA and the physical structures in their jaws to produce teeth? Of course, telling a chicken to cheese for the camera would be a little insane (they don’t understand our speech), but it can happen.

A group of scientists a few years ago even slightly altered the DNA of a group of chickens so that they actually grew structures that resemble teeth. Considering that this was a very minor alteration indicates that chicken teeth are not a new introduction, but nothing more than atavism. This is very much the same way as how some whales and snakes, at least when they are developing inside their mothers, have legs. While very few whales or snakes are actually born with legs (and those legs are completely non-functional), it does demonstrate that they had them once.

Filed Under: Genetics Tagged With: DNA, Evolution, Genetics, Human

Making Mutant Mice

: Image via Wikipedia

The creation of mutant mice might sound like some kind of a bad science fiction movie, but in reality this is something that researchers do all of the time. Through doing what is called a paralogous knockout, a mouse (or theoretically, just about any kind of animal) can be made which does not have a certain portion of its normal DNA in it. Through the use of Hox genes, an animal which would normally have, for example, a select portion of its spine or its tail can be made, so as to not have this particular part at all. While this is a little on the bizarre side, it is teaching our scientists an inordinate amount of different things about how most life forms develop.

Through the use of Hox genes, a section of vertabrae can be knocked out, meaning that they do not develop as they normally would. In cases such as when a certain type of genes is spliced into place, an area which is normally just a vertabrae on the spine can actually be made to have a small set of ribs growing out of it, instead of not having any of them as it normally should. In this way, a mutant mouse can have some truly bizarre characteristics about it. This development can also be reversed, so that none of a mouse’s ribs develop as they normally would.

The fact is, with enough experimentation we may eventually be able to craft mice which have an unbelievable amount of odd changes over what we traditionally conceive of a mouse being. While the experiments with Hox genes and all that they can theoretically do are still in their most early stages, the possibilities for what may be on the way are far from being fully explored, or even fully devised. Simply put, we are only starting to learn what makes a life form develop into what it is going to be later on.

Filed Under: Genetics Tagged With: DNA, Gene, Genetics, Mouse

Our Genetic Makeup: Why Some Get Sick and Others Don’t

It might seem unfair, but there are some of us out there that tend to get sick more often than others. Whether it’s the common cold or something more serious like cancer, there are some people who just tend to pick up every little sickness. While we can’t really explain why some people develop more serious diseases than others, we do know that our genetic makeup has a lot to do with it.

What is Genetics?

Short and simple, genetics are what makes up our DNA. Genetics determine how tall we will be, what color hair we have, the color of our eyes, and even what kind of diseases we will be more susceptible to. If your grandmother passed away from breast cancer, it could be in your genetic makeup to also develop breast cancer.

What Can We Do to Stay Healthy?

Yes, genetics play a big role in our lives. However, that doesn’t mean that you can just sit back and let Mother Nature take over. There are things you can do to help protect yourself.

- Eat healthy. We increase our immune systems and our general health when we eat properly. Take in lots of leafy greens and fruits.

- Exercise. Getting enough exercise can really go a long ways towards keeping us healthy. When our heart and our lungs are in good shape, we’re better able to fight off diseases.

- See a medical professional. It’s always a good idea to get a check up and find out what kind of shape your body is in. You can head to your local medical clinic or look for a travel nurse to come to you. There are travel nurse jobs out there that are specifically for coming to your home.

The first step to preventing anything is to be armed with knowledge. So head to your doctor and get the knowledge you need to know about your genetic makeup.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, General, Health Tagged With: Breast, Breast cancer, Cancer, Conditions and Diseases, DNA, Genetics, Health, Mother Nature

Who Will Your Baby Look Like?

Every expecting parent ponders who the baby will look like. Will he have my eyes? Will she get his toes? The list of questions is nearly endless, and so is the list of possibilities of what traits your child will inherit from generations upon generations of family members. Scientists have learned over time that the genetic traits that appear in a child depend much more on simply what genes are dominant versus which genes are recessive. Used to the talk was that dominant genes beat recessive genes every time. Nowadays, research shows it is much more complicated and involved than that.

In human beings, there are over 70,000 genes found inside our 46 chromosomes. When you toss those up and gather the ones needed for one child, the possibilities are nearly endless. Traits such as dimples and widow’s peaks can be dominant and appear at any time over generations. Families where dimples are hardly present can suddenly have the cutest dimple-laden baby, while a widow’s peak can appear out of nowhere. By the same token, an often seen widow’s peak may be absent in the latest baby. Genetics are wild cards, to say the least.

So many traits and personality characteristics are the results of genetics combined with environmental factors that create what you get in the next child. Things such as crooked teeth can be genetic due to how the family jaw is shaped, making it an inherited trait. Yet environmental issues such as pacifier use or thumb sucking as well as accidents that result in injury can affect the teeth as well. Both hair color and eye color in the baby can be anywhere on the wide range of colors between the two parents. Used to it seemed eyes had three colors, nowadays it is clear the wide range of shades between each of those colors is varied indeed. In summary, traits are a wild card and a true surprise.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Health Tagged With: Gene, Genetics, Human

Genetics and Twins

: Image via Wikipedia

Identical twins often appear to have many traits in common as well as their appearance. Sometimes they seem to mirror in personality, other times they are clearly and markedly different. In the genetics of personality traits in anyone, twin or not, it is believed that about half of anyone’s personality traits are due to heredity. Sometimes these traits are clearly from the parents, other times traits filter down through generations and may not be realized as having a genetic link.

Environment plays such a big part in personality as well as genetics that it is hard for scientists to really say how much can be attributed to which. Some specific personality traits can be altered, boosted or suppressed as a result of the environment one is raised in. For example, in raising a child who appears to be a frightened child in general, parents can do many things to help that child become less afraid, less fearful of things in life. However, they cannot do anything to make the child a brave child. A spirit of adventure and bravery is something clearly genetic. The environment a child is raised in does shape a personality, but genetics is what decides the environment a person thrives in, even seeks out.

Studies done with twins in the past have shown that twins who were raised in separate homes showed more similar traits than those who were raised in one home together. How is this possible? The conclusion is that it is likely that parents emphasized and encouraged the differences when they raised twins in one home. The environment shaped and changed some genetic traits that were similar in the twins, whereas those twins raised apart had no such shaping to be different or cultivate different traits from their separated twin. It all sums up to say that genetic traits even in twins, while clearly present, are subject to the environment as to just how they present.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases Tagged With: Genetics, Parent, Twin

Traits: To Be or Not To Be

Has someone told you that you walk just like your grandfather? Or your hair is just like your mother’s was at your age? These are observations of traits, certain features that are passed down from generation to generation. Traits are a prominent characteristic that is seen in a person, whether it be a physical trait or a behavioral trait. While specifically programmed instructions in genes play a significant role in defining certain traits, there are also environmental factors that influence how traits are shaped. In some cases, these environmental factors can even completely change a trait.

There are three types of traits:
-Physical traits- these are specific physical characteristics such as eye color, height or hair type that are inherited from family members.
-Behavioral traits- the individuality of a person, of how they act or their personality.
-Predisposition traits- these are present when there is an increased risk of a person developing a certain medical condition due to their family’s genetic makeup. Some diseases that factor in this way are cancer, heart disease and some types of mental illness.

Inside all genes are programmed instructions that tell what factors will play a role in all traits. That being said, the environmental factors that influence individual lives play a part likely just as important in shaping traits. In some cases, these environmental factors can completely change a trait. Specific examples in illustration:
-In physical traits, the genetics decide a person’s natural hair color. By the same token, environmental factors such as the sun’s rays can lighten or even change the hair color completely.
-When it comes to behavioral traits, a Labrador retriever dog is bred to chase and bring back objects. The environmental factors come in when the dog is taught to roll over when the ball is tossed. Despite what is in his genes, the teaching of the trick will override that behavioral trait.
-Lastly, in the predisposition to certain medical conditions while genetics may dictate that a person has an increased risk of heart disease, the environmental factors of a healthy diet and plenty of exercise will diminish that risk.

Filed Under: Conditions and Diseases, Genetics, Health Tagged With: Disease, Genetics, Heart disease, Mental disorder

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