Category Archives: Genetics

Study reveals a genetic overlap between childhood and adult mental health disorders – News-Medical.Net

April 9, 2022 medical

Hereditary factors are partly responsible for childhood anxiety and depression that persists into adulthood, according to University of Queensland researchers.

In the largest study of its kind in the world, the genetics of 64,641 children, aged between 3 and 18 years, were analyzed using longitudinal data from the Early Genetics and Lifeforce Epidemiology consortium.

Professor Christel Middeldorp, who holds a co-joint appointment with the UQ Child Health Research Centre and Children's Health Queensland, said the study showed children who had similar levels of anxiety and depression were also alike genetically.

It also revealed a genetic overlap between childhood and adult mental health disorders when comparing the results in this childhood study with results of previous studies in adults.

These findings are important because they help identify people most at risk of symptoms continuing across the lifespan, so intense treatment can be provided where needed."

Professor Christel Middeldorp, UQ Child Health Research Centre and Children's Health Queensland

It's the first time researchers have conducted such a large-scale study examining the role of genetics in repeated measures of anxiety and depression in children.

Professor Middeldorp said genetic variants needed to be investigated because they increased the risk of recurrence and co-occurrence with other disorders.

"Mental health symptoms often come together, so those who experience anxiety or depression have a greater risk of disorders such as ADHD, aggressive behavior," she said.

"We found that this co-occurrence is also due to genetic variants" Professor Middeldorp said.

Genetics account for around 40 per cent of a person's risk of suffering anxiety and depression, with environmental factors accounting for the rest.

Professor Middeldorp said while everyone could feel anxious or depressed from time to time, some people were better able to adjust to life's circumstances.

"People with an anxiety disorder ruminate about their situation, preventing them from moving on," she said.

"There is a difference in how people respond to stressors, and part of that difference is genetic."

Researchers will now analyze the interplay of genetics and environmental variables, such as school and family life, to see how together they influence childhood anxiety and depression.

Source:

Journal reference:

Jami, E.S., et al. (2022) Genome-wide Association Meta-analysis of Childhood and Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.11.035.

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Study reveals a genetic overlap between childhood and adult mental health disorders - News-Medical.Net

Genetics

Genetics of osteopontin in patients with chronic kidney disease: The German chronic kidney disease study – DocWire News

April 9, 2022 medical

This article was originally published here

PLoS Genet. 2022 Apr 6;18(4):e1010139. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010139. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Osteopontin (OPN), encoded by SPP1, is a phosphorylated glycoprotein predominantly synthesized in kidney tissue. Increased OPN mRNA and protein expression correlates with proteinuria, reduced creatinine clearance, and kidney fibrosis in animal models of kidney disease. But its genetic underpinnings are incompletely understood. We therefore conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of OPN in a European chronic kidney disease (CKD) population. Using data from participants of the German Chronic Kidney Disease (GCKD) study (N = 4,897), a GWAS (minor allele frequency [MAF]1%) and aggregated variant testing (AVT, MAF<1%) of ELISA-quantified serum OPN, adjusted for age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was conducted. In the project, GCKD participants had a mean age of 60 years (SD 12), median eGFR of 46 mL/min/1.73m2 (p25: 37, p75: 57) and median UACR of 50 mg/g (p25: 9, p75: 383). GWAS revealed 3 loci (p<5.0E-08), two of which replicated in the population-based Young Finns Study (YFS) cohort (p<1.67E-03): rs10011284, upstream of SPP1 encoding the OPN protein and related to OPN production, and rs4253311, mapping into KLKB1 encoding prekallikrein (PK), which is processed to kallikrein (KAL) implicated through the kinin-kallikrein system (KKS) in blood pressure control, inflammation, blood coagulation, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The SPP1 gene was also identified by AVT (p = 2.5E-8), comprising 7 splice-site and missense variants. Among others, downstream analyses revealed colocalization of the OPN association signal at SPP1 with expression in pancreas tissue, and at KLKB1 with various plasma proteins in trans, and with phenotypes (bone disorder, deep venous thrombosis) in human tissue. In summary, this GWAS of OPN levels revealed two replicated associations. The KLKB1 locus connects the function of OPN with PK, suggestive of possible further post-translation processing of OPN. Further studies are needed to elucidate the complex role of OPN within human (patho)physiology.

PMID:35385482 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pgen.1010139

Genetics

Genetics – NIGMS Home

January 11, 2022 medical

Why do scientists study the genes of other organisms?

All living things evolved from a common ancestor. Therefore, humans, animals, and other organisms share many of the same genes, and the molecules made from them function in similar ways.

Scientists have found many genes that have been preserved through millions of years of evolution and are present in a range of organisms living today. They can study these preserved genes and compare the genomes of different species to uncover similarities and differences that improve their understanding of how human genes function and are controlled. This knowledge helps researchers develop new strategies to treat and prevent human disease. Scientists also study the genes of bacteria, viruses, and fungi for solutions to prevent or treat infection. Increasingly, these studies are offering insight into how microbes on and in the body affect our health, sometimes in beneficial ways.

Increasingly sophisticated tools and techniques are allowing NIGMS-funded scientists to ask more precise questions about the genetic basis of biology. For example, theyre studying the factors that control when genes are active, the mechanisms DNA uses to repair broken or damaged segments, and the complex ways traits are passed to future generations. Another focus of exploration involves tracing genetic variation over time to detail human evolutionary history and to pinpoint the emergence of disease-related attributes. These areas of basic research will continue to build a strong foundation for more disease-targeted studies.

Why Shares of Fulgent Genetics Nearly Doubled in 2021 – Motley Fool

January 11, 2022 medical

What happened

Shares of diagnostic testing company Fulgent Genetics (NASDAQ:FLGT) were up 93% last year, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. The unpredictability of COVID took shareholders on a journey through several peaks and valleys on the way to that gain. The roller coaster has continued into 2022 with the stock down nearly 20% year to date already.

Much of the volatility can be blamed on the waves of coronavirus infections. Naturally, the need for testing rises and falls with cases. Management raised its full-year guidance when it reported first-quarter results. It followed that by retracting the projected increase after the second quarter. In the most recent report, guidance rocketed higher once again. That's enough to give any analyst whiplash.

Image source: Getty Images.

All told, Fulgent administered almost 11 million billable tests between October 2020 and September 2021. According to company guidance, the result will be year-over-year revenue and earnings-per-share growth of 121% and 64%, respectively, for 2021.

Meanwhile, Fulgent's smaller core business keeps growing. It has used some of the $570 million in trailing-12-month earnings to expand its offerings and international exposure. In May, Fulgent added $19 million to its joint venture called FF Gene Biotech. The Chinese entity was formed in 2017.

It followed that by announcing a partnership with Helio Health -- a maker of blood-based diagnostics for early cancer detection. In November, the companies released positive data for a test to detect liver cancer. That test is currently in clinical trials both in the U.S. and China.

Finally, Fulgent acquired CSI Laboratories, a deal that helps it enter the market for testing tumors and cancer cells after a patient has been diagnosed. CSI Laboratories comes with the benefit of existing relationships with insurers, something Fulgent CEO Ming Hsieh has talked extensively about.Leveraging those relationships could accelerate the pace of growth for Fulgent's core genetic testing business.

That core segment posted revenue of $36.5 million in 2020 and will produce an estimated $115 million in 2021. Although those sales pale in comparison with the COVID business, the growth and potential make it harder to dismiss Fulgent's dirt-cheap valuation as simply the result of unsustainable COVID revenue. And shares are dirt cheap.

Before the pandemic, Fulgent had traded with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio as low as 2.7. The current $2.4 billion market capitalization is only 2.6 times management's estimated $930 million in 2021 revenue. Of course, Fulgent is also producing a lot of profit. If you remove the $470 million in cash the company had on its balance sheet as of Sept. 30, shares are now trading at only 4.3 times what management says it will earn for 2021. It's rare to find a stock trading that cheap.

A skeptic might say 2021 sales are significantly higher thanks to testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. And that number could fall off dramatically if the virus, or the desire to test for it, wanes. That's true. However, the continued growth of its core business should give investors the confidence to focus on Fulgent's long-term efforts to be a bigger part of the genetic testing industry.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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Why Shares of Fulgent Genetics Nearly Doubled in 2021 - Motley Fool

Genetics

Genetics Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster

January 11, 2022 medical

1 : a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms

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Genetics Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Genetics

Genetics: Introduction, law of inheritance and Sex Determination

January 11, 2022 medical

Genetics is a branch of the biology involved with the studyheredity, its biological process, the study of genes, genome, cell cycle,heredity,inheritsgenesand lot more.

The exploration of the working and major codes of variation and heredity is termed as Genetics. The groundwork on which heredity stands is known as inheritance. It is defined as the procedure by which characteristics are handed down from one generation to the other. Gregor Johann Mendel is known as the Father of Modern Genetics for his discoveries on the basic principles of heredity.

Variation, as the name suggests is the amount of dissimilarity that exists in between children and their parentages. It can be determined to keep in view the behaviouristic, cytological, physiological, and morphological characters of individuals fitting into similar species.

Some of the major reasons that variation are

Let us have a detailed look at genetics notes to learn about genes and the principle of inheritance.

Garden Pea (Pisum Sativum) was the plant that Mendel experimented on for 7 years to get to the point to propose the laws of inheritance in live creatures. Mendel carefully chose seven distinct characteristics of Pisum Sativum for the investigation concerning hybridization. Mendel used true-breeding lines i.e. those that go through constant self-pollination and display steady characteristic heritance.

Conservation genetics as a management tool: The five best-supported paradigms to assist the management of threatened species – pnas.org

January 11, 2022 medical

Conservation genetics as a management tool: The five best-supported paradigms to assist the management of threatened species

Yvonne Willi, Torsten N. Kristensen, Carla M. Sgr, Andrew R. Weeks, Michael rsted, Ary A. Hoffmann

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jan 2022, 119 (1) e2105076119; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105076119

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Conservation genetics as a management tool: The five best-supported paradigms to assist the management of threatened species - pnas.org

Genetics

Worldwide Predictive Genetics Industry to 2026 – Rising Investment and R&D in Gene Manipulation Presents Opportunities – PRNewswire

January 11, 2022 medical

DUBLIN, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The "Predictive Genetics Market Research Report by Type, by Demographics, by Test Type, by Setting Type, by Application, by Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Predictive Genetics Market size was estimated at USD 761.76 million in 2020 and expected to reach USD 897.21 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 18.11% to reach USD 2,068.85 million by 2026.

Market Statistics:

The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR GBP, JPY, and AUD. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2019 are considered historical years, 2020 as the base year, 2021 as the estimated year, and years from 2022 to 2026 are considered the forecast period.

Competitive Strategic Window:

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.

FPNV Positioning Matrix:

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Predictive Genetics Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Market Share Analysis:

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.

Company Usability Profiles:

The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Predictive Genetics Market, including 23andMe, Color Genomics, CRISPR Therapeutics, Deep Genomics Inc., Editas Medicine, Futura Genetics, Gene by Gene, Intellia Therapeutics, Laboratory Corporation of America, Mapmygenome India, MyDNA, Myriad Genetics, Positive Bioscience, Quest Diagnostics, Inc., and Veritas Genetics.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

The report answers questions such as:1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Predictive Genetics Market?2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Predictive Genetics Market during the forecast period?3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Predictive Genetics Market?4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Predictive Genetics Market?5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Predictive Genetics Market?6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Predictive Genetics Market?7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Predictive Genetics Market?

Key Topics Covered:

1. Preface

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Overview

5. Market Insights5.1. Market Dynamics5.1.1. Drivers5.1.1.1. Increasing use of emerging technologies to gain valuable insights5.1.1.2. Adopted for new and growing class of medical tests, differing in fundamental ways from conventional medical diagnostic tests5.1.1.3. Reduces the risk of a specific condition will lead to reduced morbidity and mortality through targeted screening, surveillance, and prevention5.1.2. Restraints5.1.2.1. Lack of skilled workforce5.1.3. Opportunities5.1.3.1. Need of genetic predisposition DNA testing for type 2 diabetes and5.1.3.2. Rising investment and R&D in gene manipulation5.1.4. Challenges5.1.4.1. Companies' concern over data security and privacy issues5.2. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19

6. Predictive Genetics Market, by Type6.1. Introduction6.2. Predispositional testing6.3. Presymptomatic testing

7. Predictive Genetics Market, by Demographics7.1. Introduction7.2. 35 - 647.3. 65+7.4. <_5_br />8. Predictive Genetics Market, by Test Type8.1. Introduction8.2. Population Screening8.3. Susceptibility

9. Predictive Genetics Market, by Setting Type9.1. Introduction9.2. Clinic9.3. Direct to Consumer9.4. Hospital

10. Predictive Genetics Market, by Application10.1. Introduction10.2. Cancer10.3. Cardiovascular Disease10.4. Genetic Disease

11. Americas Predictive Genetics Market11.1. Introduction11.2. Argentina11.3. Brazil11.4. Canada11.5. Mexico11.6. United States

12. Asia-Pacific Predictive Genetics Market12.1. Introduction12.2. Australia12.3. China12.4. India12.5. Indonesia12.6. Japan12.7. Malaysia12.8. Philippines12.9. Singapore12.10. South Korea12.11. Taiwan12.12. Thailand

13. Europe, Middle East & Africa Predictive Genetics Market13.1. Introduction13.2. France13.3. Germany13.4. Italy13.5. Netherlands13.6. Qatar13.7. Russia13.8. Saudi Arabia13.9. South Africa13.10. Spain13.11. United Arab Emirates13.12. United Kingdom

14. Competitive Landscape14.1. FPNV Positioning Matrix14.1.1. Quadrants14.1.2. Business Strategy14.1.3. Product Satisfaction14.2. Market Ranking Analysis14.3. Market Share Analysis, By Key Player14.4. Competitive Scenario14.4.1. Merger & Acquisition14.4.2. Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership14.4.3. New Product Launch & Enhancement14.4.4. Investment & Funding14.4.5. Award, Recognition, & Expansion

15. Company Usability Profiles15.1. 23andMe15.2. Color Genomics15.3. CRISPR Therapeutics15.4. Deep Genomics Inc.15.5. Editas Medicine15.6. Futura Genetics15.7. Gene by Gene15.8. Intellia Therapeutics15.9. Laboratory Corporation of America15.10. Mapmygenome India15.11. MyDNA15.12. Myriad Genetics15.13. Positive Bioscience15.14. Quest Diagnostics, Inc.15.15. Veritas Genetics

16. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4brzry

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Worldwide Predictive Genetics Industry to 2026 - Rising Investment and R&D in Gene Manipulation Presents Opportunities - PRNewswire

Genetics

Cracking the Genetic Code of the Lychee – Modern Farmer

January 11, 2022 medical

Theres more to a lychee than the sweet, delicate flavor of the flesh beneath its scaly pink-red skin. The tropical fruit also has a rich agricultural tale to tell.

While lychee is not widely grown in North America, its been a fixture in Chinese agriculture for more than 2,000 years. China remains the largest producer of the crop, with it being a central source of income for many farmers in the countrys southern region. The FAO estimates that the Asia-Pacific region is responsible for more than 95 percent of the worlds production of lychees.

A team of scientists has recently decoded the tropical fruits genetics and say their findings hint upon ways to improve and sustain the crops future production. The research, published this month in Nature Genetics, determined that the lychees agricultural origins stemmed from two separate domestication events in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Hainan. They reached that conclusion by using the popular Fei Zi Xiao lychee as their reference genome, comparing its genes to about 70 other wild and farmed lychee cultivars. This allowed the researchers to map out the lychees genetic evolution and trace its paths back to the first instances of it being farmed.

One key finding was a genetic deletion, or a missing chunk of DNA, near two genes associated with flowering. The mutation controls when and how long a lychee tree flowers. It explains the reason why the original Yunnan varietywhich has the mutationis an early flowering plant, while the Hainan varietywhich doesnt have itis late flowering. A hybrid of both varieties, called the Fei Zi Xiao lychee, flowers early in June, but not as early as the original Yunnan lychees and not as late as the original Hainan variety.

Currently, most farmed lychees ripen during a short window, from early June to mid July. Once picked, the fruit only lasts around two to three days. But having the genetic information to better understand when the plant will flower, and then fruit, researchers say it could lead to different fruiting and harvesting possibilities in time to control time periods, extending that availability.

Why is this important? This is a resource for the future of the lychee, says Victor Albert, a University of Buffalo evolutionary biologist and senior author of the study. To have its genome means that we can understand everything from the fruiting differences in the variety of lychees that exist, but we can also determine and find traits like tastes, fragrances, colors and pathogen resistance.

The sequenced genome of the lychee, Albert explains, will be especially key to preserving the crop as part of Chinas agriculture industry in the context of climate change. When and if temperatures shift, or when environmental stressors take their toll on agriculture, finding or breeding varieties with preferable genetic traits will be the tactic taken to preserve the plants future. He adds that the genetic information could also help relatives of the lychee, such as the maple tree, navigate agricultural or environmental challenges.

Next, the scientists want to sequence other genomes of those related species. The branch of researchers based in China also hopes to further research the studys findings, observing how the mutation or lack thereof controls the plants flowering and fruiting time.

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Cracking the Genetic Code of the Lychee - Modern Farmer

Genetics

Opinion | The Benefits and Pitfalls of Prenatal Genetic Tests – The New York Times

January 11, 2022 medical

Lee CooperArlington, Mass.

To the Editor:

As a practicing reproductive geneticist for almost 20 years, I was pleased to read this critical piece on noninvasive prenatal testing, or NIPT. It is important to understand its history to make sense of our current situation.

A highly accurate prenatal test for Down syndrome had been the holy grail for decades. The goal was to help pregnant patients avoid a risky procedure chorionic villus sampling (C.V.S.) or amniocentesis. Older studies from the 1980s showed a risk of miscarriage from these procedures ranging from 1 in 100 to 1 in 200. However, recent studies show these procedures are quite safe, with a risk of pregnancy loss of approximately 1 in 1,000 for most patients.

If these definitive tests are relatively safe, why has noninvasive prenatal testing become the first-line test for most patients despite their flaws? The answer: direct to consumer marketing and direct to obstetrician marketing.

Marta C. KolthoffPittsburghThe writer is director of medical genetics at West Penn Hospital.

To the Editor:

This article is a very important in-depth look at the misleading and ambiguous results that come from prenatal testing. As a fourth-year medical student, I thought myself abundantly prepared for the terrain of prenatal testing during my first pregnancy. I navely took a prenatal test, with no prior counseling on the false positivity rates. When I received a high-risk result via a message from my doctor, I was stunned.

Even with my personal connections to genetic counselors and familiarity with the science behind these tests, after reading the fine print of the test, visiting the test makers website and many hours of reading scientific papers, I was left confused. After waiting until 16 weeks for an amniocentesis and another two weeks for the results, I was told the test had become contaminated and would need to be rerun.

Thus, after more than 20 weeks I am still living in the unknown, in an area where we want answers that technology is not yet sophisticated enough to give. It is imperative that practitioners educate patients about these limitations before testing.

Penina KriegerNew York

To the Editor:

I am concerned by the appearance of this article at a time when public trust in medical screening is more important than ever. Some readers might see this article and say to themselves, I guess I cant trust any medical screens now. That would be the wrong conclusion.

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Opinion | The Benefits and Pitfalls of Prenatal Genetic Tests - The New York Times