Nutrition and wellness coach Kristen Michaelis, writer and editor of the popular blog Food Renegade, had the opportunity to discuss the topic of genetics, and its relation to nutritional science. In specific, she addresses the topic of epigenetics, which she describes as “the study of how inherited genes are turned on and turned off.” In her article, Michaelis interviews Catherine Shanahan, M.D., author of Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food, which dives deeply into the subject.
“I started writing when I became overwhelmed by the amount of medical research that did nothing to explain chronic illnesses, or what to do to actually cure them. I wanted the world to know that there was research to support eating a traditional diet, tons of it,” Dr. Shanahan explains. “…I wanted to incorporate all the amazing things about the inner workings of the human body that could be brought together to tell the story of health and disease simply by understanding how food affects our body at a cellular, even molecular, level.” Read more about this story…
Would you spit on your iPhone? Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology are currently developing a way to quickly diagnose specific diseases – with an iPhone and saliva. The researchers claim that the touch sensitivity of smartphones with touch screens – such as the iPhone – might have the capability to be used as a diagnostic chip. According to an article in Forbes, the institute’s “innovation harnesses a touchscreen’s ‘capacitive sensitivity,’ its ability to sense a fingertip’s electrical charge. The iPhone touch screen’s sensitivity extends far beyond that needed to sense a finger touch or tap, leading researchers to speculate what else it could detect, such biomarkers in bodily fluids signifying the presence of disease.” Read more about this story…
Last week, DNAction reported on a new study arguing that empathetic character traits, such as being trustworthy and caring, may be powerfully linked to our genetics. The paper was published on November 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and the lead author is is Aleksandr Kogan, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto. Over the last week, there has been some lively discussion about the credibility of the study due to its small population. In an article published in Genomes Unzipped, Joe Pickrell, Jeff Barrett, Daniel MacArthur and Luke Jostins address the problems with the study.
“We find it frustrating to see researchers making two-decade-old mistakes today,” the Genomes Unzipped authors write. “Consider the paper in question by Alex Kogan and colleagues. The authors took a highly-studied candidate gene (the oxytocin receptor) and tested for association between a genetic variant in this gene and a trait called prosociality in a sample of 23 individuals. In light of what we know about complex trait genetics, this study design is hopelessly underpowered.”
Read the full Genomes Unzipped article…
Read a response post by the study’s lead author, Aleksandr Kogan…
Empathetic character traits, such as being trustworthy and caring, may be powerfully linked to our genetics. A new study, recently published on November 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, claims that a gene associated with empathy and sociability “is so powerful that even strangers observing 20 seconds of silent video identified people with a particular genetic variation to be more caring,” according to a press release by Oregon State University.
“Our findings suggest even slight genetic variation may have tangible impact on people’s behavior, and that these behavioral differences are quickly noticed by others,” said Aleksandr Kogan, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto and the study’s lead author.
Personal genomics has been a controversial topic to the media, medical professionals, policymakers, and the general public. However, according to the findings of a recent study, much of the criticism may be an overreaction. The study, published in the October 2011 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, concludes that there is “little evidence to suggest that predictive genomic risk information consistently influences risk perception or worry in the manner or degree that has been posited by some scientific critics and commentators.” Additionally, the authors suggest that the oversight of genomic technologies on the horizon should be focused on diseases and conditions that have the potential to pose the greatest harm. Read more about this study…
On a related note, the results of this study are similar to the findings of earlier studies showing that disclosure of genetic test results does not lead to increased anxiety. Read more about this…
“It could be the perfect excuse for those who find exercise something of a chore: ‘I’m not lazy, it’s my genes.’ Scientists have discovered why some of us have the energy to work out for hours while others can barely summon the get-up-and-go to reach for the TV remote. They believe they have pinpointed the genes that produce an enzyme in our muscles during exercise called AMP kinase, which controls the way we turn food into energy. Those who generate large quantities of AMPK have more energy, whereas those with lesser amounts are likely to tire almost immediately. Dr Gregory Steinberg, who led the research, said the discovery could lead to treatments for those who find it difficult to exercise, including the obese and those with asthma. His team found dramatic results in tests on two groups of mice, one bred without the two suspected genes behind AMPK production.” – from “Gene that makes you a couch potato: Scientists discover why some people have all the energy… and others don’t” by Tamara Cohen, Mail Online. Read more…
If you’re interested in this article, you might also be interested in the DNAction blog post, “The Genetic Connection: Athletic Performance” by contributing author and Pathway scientist Dan Zhu.
Michael Nova, M.D., Pathway Genomics’ chief medical officer, presented this week at the 2011 American Dietetic Association (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE). Dr. Nova’s presentation elaborated on the connections between nutrition, lifestyle and genetic expression.
“Ultimately, people need to know genetic makeup and lifestyle have the power to impact health and wellness,” said Nova. “Pathway’s goal is to educate and empower health care practitioners and patients through detailed personal genetic reports and individualized lifestyle recommendations.”
Ultimately, people need to know genetic makeup and lifestyle have the power to impact health and wellness,” said Nova. “Pathway’s goal is to educate and empower health care practitioners and patients through detailed personal genetic reports and individualized lifestyle recommendations.”
Held at the San Diego Convention Center, the ADA’s annual meeting brought together more than 10,000 registered dietitians, nutrition science researchers, health care providers, industry leaders and policy makers in an effort to address key issues affecting the health of the American people. Tackling the obesity epidemic was a clear highlight of the meeting.
Excerpt from GenomeWeb.com:
“A new national survey of 800 American voters conducted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization shows that a majority of people — 53 percent — want the federal government to financially support the biotechnology industry, a BIO press release says. Even in a time of economic hardship, the survey respondents said the government should financially support the industry — either through tax incentives or direct funding — in order to cure disease, produce alternative energy sources, and create abundant food sources, BIO says. ‘The survey found that the key biotechnology industry issues are ranked by voters as either extremely or very important — behind only the economy, education, reducing the deficit/government spending — and alongside of issues such as combating terrorism and reducing taxes,’ the press release adds.”
Click here to download the survey results (PDF).
Click here to read the BIO press release.
by Aditi Chawla
The sugar known as lactose is the main carbohydrate component of milk, which is the only food source for newborns. The enzyme lactase is found in the small intestine, and is responsible for cleaving lactose into glucose and galactose, which can be absorbed into the bloodstream and used as a source of energy. An estimated 65% of adults are lactase non-persistent (or lactose intolerant) and downregulate the production of intestinal lactase after weaning (PMID 19034520, PMID 14616060). In others, lactase activity persists throughout adult life. Those who are lactose persistent (or lactose tolerant) are able to drink milk without any of the side effects experienced by people who are lactose intolerant.
It is not surprising that lactose intolerance results in the avoidance of dairy products. The fermentation of undigested lactose by bacteria in the colon can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating and cramps. It is thought that variation in the gut flora may account for some of the differences in symptoms between people (PMID 19034520).
by Dan Zhu
Common wisdom holds that a marathoner is unlikely to excel in a 100-meter race, and vice versa. While it is easy to imagine that genetic variation is a major source of such differences in athletic ability, identifying the actual genetic causes requires careful characterization of athletic traits and in-depth data analysis.
The ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) gene is one of the earliest and most widely studied genes in sports genetics (PMID 19696508). Everyone carries two copies of the ACE gene and each copy of it is either an I allele or a D allele. In the I (insertion) allele, there is an extra 287-base pair fragment of DNA that is absent in the D (deletion) allele.
Both alleles are common and each person has one of the three possible ACE genotypes — I/I, I/D or D/D.
A number of studies have found that the frequency of the I allele is higher in elite endurance athletes than in non-endurance athletes or non-athletes. For instance, in a study involving Caucasian athletes who completed either the 2000 or 2001 South African Ironman Triathlons, there was an excess of the I allele in the 100 fastest finishers as compared to the 100 slowest finishers or to non-athletic individuals (PMID 15292738). In another study of elite runners selected by the British Olympic Association as potential members of the national Olympic team, the I allele was present at a higher frequency in long-distance runners than in short-distance runners (PMID 10517757). Similar findings have also been reported in other sport disciplines, such as high-altitude mountaineering (PMID 18081503, PMID 9607758) and rowing (PMID 9737775).
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