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November 27, 2006
Everything We Know About Genetics Is Wrong...
Well, well, well....
An international research team has overturned the harmonious message that flowed from the Human Genome Project in 2000 and discovered more DNA differences exist among people than the experts expected.Using new technology to study the genomes of 270 volunteers from four corners of the world, researchers have found that while people do indeed inherit one chromosome from each parent, they do not necessarily inherit one gene from mom and another from dad.
One parent can pass down to a child three or more copies of a single gene. In some cases, people can inherit as many as eight or 10 copies.
But here's the stunner...not:
In rare instances a person might be missing a gene.Yet despite these anomalies, they still appear to be healthy -- countering the notion of what doctors have deemed "normal" in genetics.
The work highlights how DNA helps to make each human unique, hinting that a towering basketball player, for example, might boast extra copies of a growth gene or that a daughter really might be more like her dad.
But the landmark report, published today by the journal Nature, also has disturbing implications.
It suggests that some medical tests --such as prenatal scans -- may have incorrectly flagged these kinds of genetic quirks as signs of potential defects).
Perhaps playing God isn't such a nifty idea, after all.
Posted by Cassandra at November 27, 2006 01:07 PM
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Comments
Amen to that! My youngest sister was born when I was a freshman in high school. My mom was 37 at the time. Because of her age, the doctor wanted to do additional testing to check for possible birth defects. Mother declined, because regardless of the results, she would not have terminated the pregnancy. We THINK we know a lot, but we also fail to admit there is much we DON'T know...
Posted by: Miss Ladybug at November 27, 2006 06:59 PM
It's those pesky unknown-unknowns that will get you every time.
I mean, you can quantify the known-knowns, and get a grasp on the known-unknowns.
But the things that you don't know, and don't know that you need to know them...
Is it just me, or do I sound like departing Sec'y Rumsfeld?
Posted by: karrde at November 27, 2006 11:20 PM
My jeans are missing...that's why I wear camo pants.
Posted by: camojack at November 28, 2006 03:49 AM