Jul 27 2009
Mutations are bad, right?
Not always. Some DNA changes are completely neutral. That’s how the human genome came to have so many variations. And some mutations are actually advantageous.
A case in point is the PCSK9 gene. So-called “loss-of-function” mutations that prevent the protein encoded by this gene from functioning properly actually lead to lower cholesterol levels.
Researchers [...]
Dec 30 2008
Our SNPwatch posts here at The Spittoon are one of our most exciting features. They give our customers the opportunity to connect their genetic data to the newest discoveries, often within just hours of a study’s publication.
Looking ahead to 2009, we can only begin to imagine the exciting discoveries that will be made in [...]
Dec 08 2008
SNPwatch gives you the latest news about research linking various traits and conditions to individual genetic variations. These studies are exciting because they offer a glimpse into how genetics may affect our bodies and health; but in most cases, more work is needed before this research can provide information of value to individuals. For that [...]
Oct 21 2008
Russ Altman.
In a recent post on his “Building Confidence” blog, 23andMe scientific advisor Russ Altman recounts an experience that should be familiar to 23andMe customers who regularly read The Spittoon. After reading a recent New England Journal of Medicine paper about a genetic variant associated with the development of side effects among people taking cholesterol-lowering [...]
