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research-review:prospective-analysis-of-genetic-variants-associated-with-human-lifespan [2019/10/11 02:43]
marcos [Discussion]
research-review:prospective-analysis-of-genetic-variants-associated-with-human-lifespan [2019/11/13 21:08] (current)
marcos
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 +// This paper was covered at a journal club called [[https://​www.meetup.com/​New-York-Science-Journal-Club |Deep Dive]], part of [[http://​www.biotechwithoutborders.org/​|Biotech without Borders]]. //
  
 ===== A Prospective Analysis of Genetic Variants Associated with Human Lifespan ===== ===== A Prospective Analysis of Genetic Variants Associated with Human Lifespan =====
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 Variants where a single nucleotide in the DNA is altered often result in the same allele. ​ These single nucleotide differences are referred to as SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) variants. ​ SNP's can arise in any of the cells of the body due to mutations. ​ While mutations are infrequent, they occur because the DNA copying process is imperfect. Variants where a single nucleotide in the DNA is altered often result in the same allele. ​ These single nucleotide differences are referred to as SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) variants. ​ SNP's can arise in any of the cells of the body due to mutations. ​ While mutations are infrequent, they occur because the DNA copying process is imperfect.
  
-As a population grows older, members of the same age with alleles that reduce lifespan, will die off first. ​ The cells within an individual also mutate, but at a very slow rate.  So slow, that DNA samples from the same person, taken 80 years apart, would still show a [[https://​www.quora.com/​If-you-take-a-DNA-sample-from-a-newborn-would-it-match-a-DNA-sample-from-when-the-same-person-is-80 |majority of cells]] having the original DNA.+As a population grows older, members of the same age with alleles that reduce lifespan, will die off first. ​ The cells within an individual also mutate, but at a very slow rate.  So slow, that DNA samples from the same person, taken 80 years apart, would still show a [[https://​www.quora.com/​If-you-take-a-DNA-sample-from-a-newborn-would-it-match-a-DNA-sample-from-when-the-same-person-is-80 |majority of cells]] having the original DNA.  However, there are cases of [[https://​www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/​pmc/​articles/​PMC5446794 |clonal mosaicism]],​ where a mutation can give rise to body regions with a different genome.
  
 There may be some cases, however, where mutations have a survival advantage compared to neighboring cells, and are able to gain majority. ​ An example of this is cancer. ​ However, it is unlikely that DNA samples will be composed of a majority of mutated cells. There may be some cases, however, where mutations have a survival advantage compared to neighboring cells, and are able to gain majority. ​ An example of this is cancer. ​ However, it is unlikely that DNA samples will be composed of a majority of mutated cells.
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 When research finds loci associated with a phenotype, the odds of the heritability of these loci is less than the odds of inheriting the phenotype. ​ The issue of "​missing heritability"​ is the failure of research to find all the genetic factors for heritability (hg2 is less than h2). When research finds loci associated with a phenotype, the odds of the heritability of these loci is less than the odds of inheriting the phenotype. ​ The issue of "​missing heritability"​ is the failure of research to find all the genetic factors for heritability (hg2 is less than h2).
  
-Studies have estimated h2 to be between 15-30%, while h2g is less than 10% as deduced from the heritability of the lifespan loci found in this analysis.+Studies have estimated ​lifespan ​h2 to be between 15-30%, while h2g is less than 10% as deduced from the heritability of the lifespan loci found in this analysis.
  
-The authors explain that the discrepancy is not a failure to find the genetic components of lifespan, but instead the sociological phenomenon of assortative mating. ​ Assortative mating is where individuals of similar phenotype or within the same culture mate with each other more frequently than would be expected from random mating. ​ Even with their efforts to include assortative mating into the statistical analysis, they state that: "It is worth considering that the inflation of h2 estimates due to assortative mating may be more generally responsible for the recurrence of sizable “missing heritability” gaps."+The authors explain ​in this and a [[https://​www.genetics.org/​content/​210/​3/​1109 |past study]] ​that the discrepancy is not a failure to find the genetic components of lifespan, but instead the sociological phenomenon of assortative mating. ​ Assortative mating is where individuals of similar phenotype or within the same culture mate with each other more frequently than would be expected from random mating. ​ Even with their efforts to include assortative mating into the statistical analysis, they state that: "It is worth considering that the inflation of h2 estimates due to assortative mating may be more generally responsible for the recurrence of sizable “missing heritability” gaps."
  
 +The significance of this conclusion, and of the GWA studies for lifespan phenotypes, is that there are no individual alleles that produce a long lived individual, only alleles that reduce lifespan.
 +
 + --- //​[[user:​marcos|Marcos Reyes]] 2019/10/27 03:39//
  
research-review/prospective-analysis-of-genetic-variants-associated-with-human-lifespan.1570761811.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/10/11 02:43 by marcos