Ear wax and body odor – it’s genetic
The ABCC11 gene determines both the type of earwax a person has and their armpit odor. A change in a single spot in the DNA of this gene can cause the gene not to function. People with a functioning ABCC11 gene have wet earwax…
Dante Labs Whole Genome Sequencing – Reports Review
This review is my personal experience and opinion on the reports offered with Dante Labs’ whole-genome sequencing. More to come at a later date on how to use the whole-genome data files… Dante Labs Whole Genome Sequencing Reports Dante Labs offers whole-genome sequencing at…
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
A genetic mutation in the SERPINA1 gene causes alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. This increases a person’s susceptibility to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and, in some cases, cirrhosis of the liver. As far as rare mutations go, the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency mutations are fairly common…
Privacy and Your Genes
I received an email from Promethease a few days ago that I wanted to share with all of you, along with my thoughts on keeping genetic data private. Genetics and Privacy: I’ve found in talking with people about genetics that there are often two…
How to delete your 23andMe account
23 and Me offers an easy way to delete your account and remove your data from their website. First, I highly suggest that you download your 23andMe raw data file. If you delete your 23andMe account, you will not (of course) be able to…
Bitter taste receptors
Ever wonder why some people don’t like Brussel sprouts or strong, dark coffee? Some people love a good, dark roast, cup of coffee – and Brussel sprouts and cabbage taste just great. It turns out there is a lot of variation in the way…
Are you genetically more likely to have twins?
Twins tend to ‘run in families’, which is a colloquial way of saying that there is a hereditary component that increases the likelihood of having twins. Twin Births: According to the CDC, the number of twin births has risen 76% since 1980. Estimates show…
Review of 23andMe’s GrandTree Feature
Ever wonder whether you get your red hair from your grandmother or grandfather? Is it grandma’s fault that you are likely to go bald? The GrandTree feature on 23andMe allows you to link together three generations to see what a grandchild inherited from their grandparents….
How to download your AncestryDNA raw data and import it into Excel
A quick tutorial for today on downloading your data from AncestryDNA. Why download your data? Well, it is YOUR data — genetic data about you that you paid for… If you download it from AncestryDNA, then you can use that data in a variety…
How well do AncestryDNA.com and 23andMe data match?
Wondering whether to go with an Ancestry.com or 23 and me kit? I recently picked up an AncestryDNA kit to find out how well the data matched up to the 23andMe test that I did a few years ago. Quick answer: It matched up…