NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) Fulgent Genetics this week said in a regulatory document that it has formed a joint venture in China to offer genetic testing services in that country.

In a document filed with the US Securities Exchange Commission, Fulgent said it has formed a joint venture with Chinese firms Xilong Scientific and Fuzhou Jinqiang Investment Partnership (FJIP) to establish Fujian Fujun Gene Biotech. Under the agreement Fulgent will provide to the JV genetic sequencing and other equipment costing no more than about RMB60 million ($8.7 million) over a three-year period.

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Fulgent Genetics Forms JV in China - GenomeWeb

The reasons behind why people are gay, straight, or bisexual have long been a source of public fascination. Indeed, research on the topic of sexual orientation offers a powerful window into understanding human sexuality. The Archives of Sexual Behavior recently published a special edition devoted to research in this area, titled The Puzzle of Sexual Orientation. One study, conducted by scientists at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, offers compelling, cross-cultural evidence that common genetic factors underlie same-sex, sexual preference in men.

In southern Mexico, individuals who are biologically male and sexually attracted to men are known as muxes. They are recognized as a third gender: Muxe nguiiu tend to be masculine in their appearance and behavior, while muxe gunaa are feminine. In Western cultures, they would be considered gay men and transgender women, respectively.

Several correlates of male androphilia biological males who are sexually attracted to men have been shown across different cultures, which is suggestive of a common biological foundation among them. For example, the fraternal birth order effectthe phenomenon whereby male androphilia is predicted by having a higher number of biological older brothersis evident in both Western and Samoan cultures.

Interestingly, in Western society, homosexual men, compared with heterosexual men, tend to recall higher levels of separation anxiety the distress resulting from being separated from major attachment figures, like ones primary caregiver or close family members. Research in Samoa has similarly demonstrated that third-gender faafafineindividuals who are feminine in appearance, biologically male, and attracted to menalso recall greater childhood separation anxiety when compared with heterosexual Samoan men. Thus, if a similar pattern regarding separation anxiety were to be found in a third, disparate culturein the case, the Istmo region of Oaxaca, Mexicoit would add to the evidence that male androphilia has biological underpinnings.

The current study included 141 heterosexual women, 135 heterosexual men, and 178 muxes (61 muxe nguiiu and 117 muxe gunaa). Study participants were interviewed using a questionnaire that asked about separation anxiety; more specifically, distress and worry they experienced as a child in relation to being separated from a parental figure. Participants rated how true each question was for them when they were between the ages of 6 to 12 years old.

Muxes showed elevated rates of childhood separation anxiety when compared with heterosexual men, similar to what has been seen in gay men in Canada and faafafine in Samoa. There were also no differences in anxiety scores between women and muxe nguiiu or muxe gunaa, or between the two types of muxes.

When we consider possible explanations for these results, social mechanisms are unlikely, as previous research has shown that anxiety is heritable and parenting tends to be in response to childrens traits and behaviors, as opposed to the other way around. Biological mechanisms, however, offer a more compelling account. For instance, exposure to female-typical levels of sex steroid hormones in the prenatal environment are thought to feminize regions of the male brain that are related to sexual orientation, thereby influencing attachment and anxiety.

On top of this, studies in molecular genetics have shown that Xq28, a region located at the tip of the X chromosome, is involved in both the expression of anxiety and male androphilia. This suggests that common genetic factors may underlie the expression of both. Twin studies additionally point to genetic explanations as the underlying force for same-sex partner preference in men and neuroticism, a personality trait that is comparable to anxiety.

These findings suggest childhood separation anxiety may be a culturally universal correlate of androphilia in men. This has important implications for our understanding of childrens mental health conditions, as subclinical levels of separation anxiety, when intertwined with male androphilia, may represent a typical part of the developmental life course.

As it stands, sexual orientation research will continue to evoke widespread interest and controversy for the foreseeable future because it has the potential to be usedfor better or worseto uphold particular socio-political agendas. The moral acceptability of homosexuality has often hinged on the idea that same-sex desires are innate, immutable, and therefore, not a choice. This is clear when we think about how previous beliefs around homosexuality being learned were once used to justify (now discredited) attempts to change these desires.

The cross-cultural similarities evinced by the current study offer further proof that being gay is genetic, which is, in itself, an interesting finding. But we as a society should challenge the notion that sexual preferences must be non-volitional in order to be socially acceptable or safe from scrutiny. The etiology of homosexuality, biological or otherwise, should have no bearing on gay individuals right to equality.

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Cross-Cultural Evidence for the Genetics of Homosexuality - Scientific American

DELRAY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Progeny Genetics LLC (Progeny), a leading risk modeling pedigree software for clinicians, announced today that Jamie LHeureux, MS, CGC has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer. For 20 years, Progeny has assisted healthcare providers with patient screening, risk analysis, order processing, clinical review, and letter generation.

Ms. LHeureux brings over 12 years of experience in both research and clinical genetics as a Board Certified genetic counselor. She received her Masters degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Cincinnatis Genetic Counseling Training Program and began her career at the University of Iowa as a Research Coordinator for several international research projects.

Ms. LHeureuxs strong background in software development includes implementing new laboratory information management systems and designing patient-facing Family History Questionnaires. For the past three years, Ms. LHeureux served as Software Product Manager at Progeny, and was integral to development of Progenys letter generation feature and integrated risk models.

I am excited to be able to use my past experience as a Progeny user, both in the research and clinical genetic counseling settings, to help build upon the strong foundation that Progeny already has established, and make it even more user-friendly for our healthcare provider customers and their patients, said Ms. LHeureux. We have some exciting improvements coming up that are focused on saving clinicians time and simplifying their workflow.

As a prominent member of the Progeny leadership team, Ms. LHeureux helps guide the future of the company by leveraging her extensive experience as a genetic counselor. In addition, her software development knowledge provides a solid foundation for Ms. LHeureux to harness the needs of Progenys healthcare provider clientele.

Progenys software is available in over 2,400 unique sites in 80 countries worldwide. Progeny has played a prominent role in advancing science by bringing family history to the forefront of genetic healthcare, with the intention that the information provided to healthcare providers will assist them with early detection and intervention to patients with genetic predispositions.

Progeny became a subsidiary of Ambry Genetics (Ambry), a genetic testing company based in Aliso Viejo, California, in April 2015. Progenys software helps healthcare providers analyze hereditary family history data so clinicians can effectively identify genetic risk factors in patients and their families.

For more information about Progenys services and support, visit here.

ABOUT PROGENY GENETICS:

Progeny is a subsidiary of Ambry Genetics, providing customizable family history, pedigree, sample, and genetic data management software solutions to healthcare providers worldwide. Using Progenys sophisticated technology, healthcare providers can collect family history from patients, review and edit pedigrees, run integrated risk models, order and review genetic testing, and integrate into the electronic medical record, allowing healthcare providers to embrace personalized healthcare like never before. For more information about Progeny, visit http://www.progenygenetics.com.

ABOUT AMBRY GENETICS

Ambry Genetics is both College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified. Ambry leads in clinical genetic diagnostics and genetics software solutions, combining both to offer the most comprehensive testing menu in the industry. Ambry has established a reputation for sharing data while safeguarding patient privacy, unparalleled service, and responsibly applying new technologies to the clinical molecular diagnostics market. For more information about Ambry Genetics, visit http://www.ambrygen.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426005282/en/

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Progeny Genetics Names New Chief Executive Officer - Yahoo Finance

Dear Mayo Clinic: Why does it seem that suicide tends to run in families? Does it have anything to do with genetics?

A: The association between genetics and suicide is complicated. Research has shown that there is a genetic component to suicide. But it is only one of many factors that may raise an individuals risk. And even if someone is at high risk for suicide, that doesnt predict whether or not an individual will actually act on suicidal thoughts.

Genetic research, including studies involving twins, has revealed that many psychiatric conditions, including having suicidal tendencies, are influenced by genetics. While studies demonstrate that specific genes, such as one called the BDNF Met allele, can increase risk for suicide, its more likely that a range of genes affect connections and pathways within the brain, and impact suicide risk.

Complicating matters further, a process called epigenetics also comes into play when considering the effect of genes on suicide. This process controls when certain genes are turned on or off as a person grows and develops, and it can be influenced by what happens in a persons environment.

For example, if someone goes through a difficult event as a child, that experience could have an impact on how or when a gene is activated within that persons brain. Researchers speculate that negative experiences influencing epigenetics in a person who has a family history of suicide could further compound that persons suicide risk.

In addition, it is known that 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a psychiatric illness at the time of death. Mood disorders, psychotic disorders, certain personality disorders and substance use disorders can increase suicide risk substantially. Each of those disorders has a genetic component, too.

Its important to understand, however, that an increased risk of suicide does not predict who will commit suicide. For some people even those whose genetics may seem to predispose them to a higher suicide risk the thought of suicide doesnt enter their minds. For others, suicide quickly may become a focus of their thoughts.

For those whose thoughts do turn to suicide, the way they arrive at suicidal thoughts may be a well-imprinted and familiar pathway. Psychotherapeutic treatment can help examine the process they go through to get to that point and find ways to interrupt the process.

Genetics, family history and environment all matter when it comes to the risk of suicide. But knowing risk factors is not a substitute for a thorough assessment of an individuals situation and the process he or she takes to arrive at suicidal thoughts.

If you or a loved one are concerned about your risk for suicide, or if youve had suicidal thoughts, talk to a mental health professional. To help you find ways to break the cycle that leads to suicidal thoughts, he or she can work with you to treat any psychiatric illness that may be present and help you understand the process youre going through when you turn to the possibility of suicide.

If you are in a suicide crisis or emotional distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free, confidential emotional support 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 (toll-free).

Excerpt from:
Suicide and genetics is a complicated association - Journal Times

An evolutionary tree of more than 161 dog breeds has been mapped out by geneticists, showing which types are closely related to each other.

The research will obviously be of interest to dog owners but it is hoped it will shed light on the causes of diseases that affect both dogs and humans, including cancer. Some breeds are prone to conditions which are rare in others and the genetic differences between them could lead to a new form of treatment for both species.

The scientists alsodiscovered genetic evidence that dogs made the journey over the land bridge that once connected North America with modern-day Russia.

While most dogs in the Americas are descended from animals brought over from Europe, evidence of these New World breeds can still be seen in the genetics of existing animals.

Geneticists grouped different dogs together based on how closely they are related (NIH Dog Genome Project)

The Peruvian hairless dog and the Xoloitzcuintle were found to be probable descendants of the original New World breed.

Dr Heidi Parker, a dog geneticist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), said: What we noticed is that there are groups of American dogs that separated somewhat from the European breeds.

We've been looking for some kind of signature of the New World dog, and these dogs have New World dogs hidden in their genome.

The researchers, who published a paper about the study in the journal Cell Reports, said the first types of dog evolved or were bred to perform specific tasks.

First, there was selection for a type, like herders or pointers, and then there was admixture to get certain physical traits, Dr Parker said.

I think that understanding that types go back a lot longer than breeds or just physical appearances do is something to really think about.

The need to herd livestock was an early use for mans best friend that saw these breeds developed at a number of different times and places.

When we were looking at herding breeds, we saw much more diversity, where there was a particular group of herding breeds that seemed to come out of the United Kingdom, a particular group that came out of northern Europe, and a different group that came out of southern Europe, which shows herding is not a recent thing, Dr Parker said.

People were using dogs as workers thousands of years ago, not just hundreds of years ago.

Gun dogs like golden retrievers and Irish setters were traced back to Victorian England and were grouped alongside each other on the evolutionary tree with other breeds like spaniels.

Middle Eastern and Asian breeds like the saluki, chow chows and akitas all diverged long before what has been called the Victorian Explosion of dog breeds.

All the dogs whose genomes were sequenced for the study were volunteered by their owners, the researchers stressed.

Dr Elaine Ostrander, who researches the genetics of cancer at the NIH, explained their method of finding new recruits, which mainly involved trips to dog shows.

If we see a breed that we havent had a good sample of to sequence, we definitely make a beeline for that owner, she said.

And say, Gosh, we don't have the sequence of the Otterhound yet, and your dog is a beautiful Otterhound. Wouldn't you like it to represent your breed in the dog genome sequence database?

And of course, people are always very flattered to say, Yes. I want my dog to represent Otterhound-ness.

There are some 400 different breeds of dogs so the researchers still have some way to go before they can develop a full family tree.

Like humans, dogs can get diseases like epilepsy, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.

The prevalence of these diseases varies significantly between dogs, which could help find genes with protective or harmful effects.

Using all this data, you can follow the migration of disease alleles and predict where they are likely to pop up next, and that's just so empowering for our field because a dog is such a great model for many human diseases, Dr Ostrander said.

Every time there's a disease gene found in dogs it turns out to be important in people, too.

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Genetic map of dogs' evolution could shed new light on causes of cancer and diabetes - The Independent

Genetic research in wood bison may have wider implications for wildlife conservation and for the Canadian livestock industry. Scientists have developed tools using assisted reproductive technologies such as cryopreservation (freezing), artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer which could help increase dwindling wild bison populations and prevent the spread of disease.

Canadian wood bison is an indigenous species that is perilously close to losing too much of its genetic diversity to be able to survive for the long term. Past efforts to preserve the species included interbreeding them with Plains bison and domestic cattle, which produced hybrids that dont contribute to build wild bison genetics. In addition, 30 to 60 per cent of the remaining wood bison population carries cattle diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis (TB).

For the past 10 years, the Wood Bison Research Group which includes scientists at the University of Saskatchewan and Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been working to develop tools for producing and preserving clean, disease-free wood bison germplasm.

Gregg Adams of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in Saskatoon is the principal investigator on the project and has recently been working on techniques to wash brucellosis pathogens from embryos and semen. Once washed, embryos and sperm no longer carry the disease, and therefore can be used to regenerate a healthy wood bison population quickly through embryo transfer and AI.

We have produced over 400 wood bison embryos and have over 100 preserved in liquid nitrogen tanks. From initial studies, we now know that we can wash the semen, embryos and eggs free from brucellosis organisms, says Adams.

The summer of 2016 showed proof of concept was complete with the birth of three, live, healthy bison calves from the transfer of in vitro fertilized embryos and one from a frozen embryo.

AAFC scientist Muhammad Anzar is a project lead on the development of frozen bison semen fit for AI. Semen is conventionally frozen in a medium containing either egg yolk or milk to protect the sperm cells against cold shock. However, there is a risk that disease pathogens can hitch a ride in these animal proteins added to the semen extender.

The technique that I developed for the cryopreservation of semen is without adding egg yolk or milk in the semen extender, says Anzar. The advantage of this clean semen is that it is as good as using egg yolk, which is a common extender, but its free from any external pathogens or micro-organisms.

This new technique has the potential to be applied elsewhere.

We have eliminated the possibility of disease transmission, so our research is very beneficial for the bison industry and it will also be well taken by the dairy and beef AI industry too, says Anzar.

Many countries such as Japan and Europe have regulations that require any imported livestock semen and embryos to be free of pathogens. The risk of disease transmission is certainly the main limiting factor in the exchange of bison genetics worldwide, as countries looking to improve their herds genetics do not want to import these potential biosecurity hazards.

And the research could help wildlife conservation efforts come full circle and reverse a chain of infection that they helped cause in the first place. Elk and bison are the two main wildlife reservoirs for brucellosis and TB in Canada and U.S., says Adams. Elk are infected from bison and its from elk that there have been documented cases of transmission to cattle. This is a reasonable strategy to begin the clean up process, to improve the genetic diversity of the bison species and to prevent the possibility of infection of our healthy livestock with these diseases.

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Producing clean bison genetics - Grainews

A couple sits close, intently studying a dossier. On the dossier is a list starting with Embryo #1.

According to the description, Embryo #1 is female, has a high risk of Type II Diabetes, will have blue eyes and blond hair, and has a 20% chance of being in the 90th percentile for math ability.

Alternatively, Embryo #100 is male, will have blue eyes and dark hair, has a 60% chance of being in the top 10% for musical ability, and is at a high risk for depression.

Between Embryo #1 and #100 lie similarly detailed descriptions.

While this may sound like science fiction, according to Hank Greely, Dean F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law at Stanford University, this scenario is the soon-to-be future of human reproduction.

I predict in [my] book [The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction] that in 20 to 40 years the majority of babies born to people with good health coverage anywhere in the world will not be conceived in a bed or in the back of a car or under a keep off grass sign, but will be conceived in a lab so that parents can then do whole genome sequencing and pick the embryo that they want, Greely said during his Gladstone GO Graduate Student Organization sponsored bioethics seminar on April 14.

Greely went on to share several stories about advances in human reproduction that will make this future he envisions possible, starting with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

A three day embryo is like eight grapes inside a water balloon thats filled with jello, Greely explained. The grapes really arent attached to each other, so what you [do is] make a little hole in the water balloon--the membrane holding the embryo together and suck out one of those cells. And the other seven cells [do] fine, they [do] not fail at any higher rate than embryos regularly fail, and you take that cell and do genetic testing on it.

According to Greely, PGD has been clinically available for 25 years, but recently scientists have been using five- or six-day-old embryos from which they can take five, 10, or even 15 cells, thus allowing for more confidence in the genetic testing results.

This procedure, however, is currently limited by the expense of sequencing, the short time frame between taking cells from the embryo for genetic testing and implanting the embryo, and our understanding of genetics.

As sequencing becomes cheaper and allows our knowledge of genetics to grow, Greely predicts that PGD will advance to what he calls enhanced PGD, in which cells taken from embryos will have their entire genome sequenced.

Another huge limitation to PGD is that before you can run genetic tests you first must harvest eggs from the female.

Normally women ripen one or at most two eggs a month, Greely said. If youre going to go in [for] this invasive procedure you want as many ripe eggs as possible. Very expensive hormones [are used] in order to convince more eggs to ripen than normal. This causes cramping, bloating, mood swings, unpleasantness as well as the fact that [the woman] has to give herself a shot every day for 30 days in a row which people, understandingly, find a little bit disconcerting.

Furthermore, although a small percentage, some women who go through egg harvesting end up hospitalized or may even die.

Nobody goes through IVF [in vitro fertilization] just for the heck of it, Greely said. They do it because they have to.

Importantly, Greely also stresses that this unpleasantness and risk all falls on the female.

So what can we do to move away from current methods of egg retrieval? Greely believes the answer is induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

iPSCs are generated by reprogramming adult cells in a way which induces a loss of their defined cellular identity. In this state the cell now has the the potential to differentiate into any cell type, whether it be an epithelial cell, a cardiomyocyte, or an oocyte.

Greely thus envisions a world in which an individual would give a skin biopsy that would be reprogrammed to become iPSCs which would then be used to make oocyte precursors and finally an oocyte that could be fertilized.

This method, known as in vitro gametogenesis (IVG), could also be used on skin biopsies from males to generate oocytes or skin biopsies from females to generate sperm, thus making it possible for same sex couples to have children who are biologically related to both parents.

Additionally, instead of harvesting only a few eggs, IVG could potentially generate hundreds of eggs non-invasively.

Taking it a step further, whole genome sequencing (WGS) could be performed on all fertilized eggs to generate genetic profiles of each embryo. Parents could know whether the embryo is at high risk for early onset disease or other diseases and medical conditions. They could also learn about the cosmetic make up, behaviors, and sex, and use all this information to help them choose the embryo they want implanted.

One important caveat to this scenario, however, is that rarely do traits adhere to simple Mendelian genetics with one gene coding for one trait.

Its all going to be really complicated, Greely stated. Probably involving hundreds or thousands of different genetic loci and with a big dollop of environment and chance.

Another issue is how parents will parse through all this information.

Even if youre only looking at 20 different things of significance how do you weigh 50% higher risk of Type II Diabetes versus 50% lower risk of schizophrenia versus 50% chance of being in the top 10% for music ability versus [being] very, very tall? Greely asks. Its going to be a real hard decision.

Thus, an important aspect of this future Greely envisions will be educating parents to help them make informed decisions that they will ultimately feel comfortable with.

Despite this being a bioethics seminar, Greely only discussed a few ethical quandaries.

For instance, if you can take anyone's cells and make them into eggs and sperm, then anyone can be a genetic parent. A 50-year-old woman could become a mother, but an eight-month old baby or a woman who died and whose cells were frozen could both also become genetic parents.

While Greelys point seemed to be that this would change family structures, I think the real issue at the crux of this is legal regulation, which Greely didnt touch too much on in his talk.

One of the most challenging moral dilemmas associated with this future of human reproduction was, surprisingly, not brought up until the question was posed by an audience member.

As technology like PGD becomes more available and more powerful, will we lose populations of people?

For example, if you knew that an embryo would give rise to a child who was deaf, autistic, or achondroplastic would you chose against that embryo? And if you and others choose against that embryo how will that impact our society?

For one, it will decrease the number of individuals who make up that community thus decreasing research, social, and political support for this community.

Additionally, if parents tend to select against these traits it may send the message that these traits are bad and that individuals who do have these traits are leading lives that arent worth living.

But how does one determine what is and isnt a life worth living?

While society as a whole might label certain traits like those listed above as disabilities, members of these communities dont all hold that view, instead seeing it as a different way of being. For example, autism is sometimes thought of as neurodiversity.

How will beliefs like this affect a parents choice? Will an individual who is deaf select to have a deaf child?

This leads to a whole new set of issues Greely also did not cover.

In the future, will parents be discriminated against for choosing certain traits for their children or for choosing to procreate the old fashion way instead of selecting their child based on traits that society sees as favorable? What new power dynamics will these technologies create?

Greely also failed to talk about issues surrounding availability of this technology.

While he hypothesizes that health care programs will fully pay for IVG and WGS--as in the long run it will ultimately reduce healthcare spending--this coverage isnt going to happen instantly. In the beginning, these processes will still be expensive and likely only available to those with enough money.

If wealthy individuals are screening their embryos to ensure the healthiest embryo is implanted, what will this mean for populations who cant afford this service? It seems very possible that the burden of health care expenses could fall entirely on them.

Additionally, this could impact the amount of money funneled into biomedical research whether it be because individuals feel they no longer need to donate to a cause that doesnt affect them or because research in that field no longer seems like a priority due to a shrinking community of affected individuals.

All of this, however, is dependent on how much information we will actually be able to glean from an embryos genetics alone.

Greely believes that cheap sequencing changes everything and while it will definitely lead to advancements, it may not be as comprehensive as Greely predicts.

Despite what I believe to be Greelys slightly over-optimistic vision, his last point rings true.

If we understand the issues better in advance we are less likely to screw up.

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The Future of Genetics - Synapse

April 25, 2017 Credit: martha sexton/public domain

Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have shown that receptors in the noses of mice exposed to certain smells during life are different to genetically similar mice that lived without those smells. Published today in eLife, the study found it is this combination of genetics and experience that gives each individual a unique sense of smell.

Our sense of smell comes from the olfactory organ in the nose, which is made up of sensory neurons containing receptors that can detect odours. There are about one thousand types of olfactory receptors in the nose, compared with only three types of visual receptors in the eye, and 49 types of taste receptors on the tongue. Of our senses, the olfactory system is the most complex, and combinations of signals from different olfactory receptors allow people to smell an enormously large repertoire of odours. However, how different people vary in their smelling abilities is not well understood.

To investigate the sense of smell the researchers used laboratory mice as a model, comparing the olfactory neurons from genetically identical animals that grew up in different environments. They also compared animals that grew up in the same environment but were genetically different.

The team used RNA sequencing to see which receptor genes were active. The researchers found that genetics controlled which receptors were present in the mice. Crucially however, they found that the environment that the individual had lived in had a significant effect on the number of cells able to identify each smell.

Professor Fabio Papes, an author on the paper from the University of Campinas in Brazil, said: "It became clear that the role of genes, especially those that encode olfactory receptors in the genome, is very important in the construction of nasal tissue, but there was a very remarkable contribution of the environment, something that has not been previously described to this extent. We found the cellular and molecular construction of the olfactory tissue at a given moment is prepared not only by the organism's genes but also by its life history."

Olfactory neurons are formed throughout an individual's lifetime, and the study showed the olfactory system adapted to the environment, leading to more cells capable of detecting scents to which there has been greater exposure. As a consequence, different individuals, even if genetically similar, may have completely different olfactory abilities. This could contribute to the individuality of the sense of smell, even in humans.

The knowledge that an individual's history can affect the structure of olfactory tissue neurons may have implications for personalised medicine as different people's sense organs could be constructed differently and respond in different ways. Studying olfactory neurons can also provide information about how the neurons in the brain are organised and function.

Dr Darren Logan, the lead author on the study from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "The neurons in the olfactory system are highly connected to the neurons in the brain and studying these can help us understand neuronal development. We have shown that each individual has a very different combination of possible olfactory neurons, driven by genetics. In this study we also show that, with experience of different smells, these combinations of neurons change, so both genetics and environment interplay to give every individual a unique sense of smell."

Explore further: New PET imaging technique may help monitor neurological disease progression

More information: Ximena Ibarra-Soria et al, Variation in olfactory neuron repertoires is genetically controlled and environmentally modulated, eLife (2017). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.21476

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Genetics and environment combine to give everyone a unique sense of smell - Phys.Org

Emerging research may explain why it is difficult to avoid eating certain foods, even when you know they are not good for you.

Gene variants that affect the way our brain works may be the reason, according to a new study. The new research could one day lead to new strategies to empower people to enjoy and stick to their optimal diets.

The study was at the American Society for Nutrition Scientific Sessions and annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 meeting.

Most people have a hard time modifying their dietary habits, even if they know it is in their best interest, said Silvia Berciano, a predoctoral fellow at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid.

This is because our food preferences and ability to work toward goals or follow plans affect what we eat and our ability to stick with diet changes. Ours is the first study describing how brain genes affect food intake and dietary preferences in a group of healthy people.

Although previous research has identified genes involved with behaviors seen in eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, little is known about how natural variation in these genes could affect eating behaviors in healthy people.

Gene variation is a result of subtle DNA differences among individuals that make each person unique.

For the new study, the researchers analyzed the genetics of 818 men and women of European ancestry and gathered information about their diet using a questionnaire. The researchers found that the genes they studied did play a significant role in a persons food choices and dietary habits.

For example, higher chocolate intake and a larger waist size was associated with certain forms of the oxytocin receptor gene, and an obesity-associated gene played a role in vegetable and fiber intake.

They also observed that certain genes were involved in salt and fat intake.

The new findings could be used to inform precision-medicine approaches that help minimize a persons risk for common diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer by tailoring diet-based prevention and therapy to the specific needs of an individual.

The knowledge gained through our study will pave the way to better understanding of eating behavior and facilitate the design of personalized dietary advice that will be more amenable to the individual, resulting in better compliance and more successful outcomes, said Berciano.

The researchers plan to perform similar investigations in other groups of people with different characteristics and ethnicities to better understand the applicability and potential impact of these findings.

Source: Universidad Autonoma de Madrid/EurekAlert Photo: Credit: Adriano Kitani.

APA Reference Nauert PhD, R. (2017). Genetics May Make It Hard to Eat Healthy. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 24, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/04/24/genetics-may-make-it-hard-to-eat-healthy/119568.html

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Genetics May Make It Hard to Eat Healthy - PsychCentral.com

BRITTANY PICKETT

Last updated12:02, April 24 2017

Suffolk breeders wanting to export genetics to Australia are likely to be affected by an Australian ban.

Changes toimporting rules for sheep and goat embryos and semen has barred some farmers from exporting to Australia, but improved the availability of new genetics for others.

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) issued revised import protocols in 2015for sheep and goat embryos and semen, which allows New Zealand's sheep and goat industries to access new genetics more readily than in the past.

However, those changes have impacted breeders wanting to export to Australia.

Following the release of the MPI import health standard, Australian authorities introduced new measures for importing of sheep and goat germplasm and barredthe importing of new genetics from New Zealand to avoid the risk of scrapie, a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the nervous system of sheep and goats, arriving.

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Lawrence suffolk breeder Symon Howard said the changes to the importing standards were directly related to the decision by Landcorp to begin sheep milking and bring in genetics from overseas.

"At the end of the day Landcorp is owned by the government, so the government is shafting everyone else."

Two years ago an Australian farmer bought half of the shares in one of Howard's rams, he had used genetics from the ram to produce his own rams in Australia, but if he was to wanted more semen, he would not be able to get it, Howard said.

"They bought the ram two years ago in good faith thinking they could take semen whenever they wanted but now they can't."

Australia will accept sheep and goat geneticscollected, stored and processed before May last year, when the protocol for the new import health standards kicked in.

An MPI spokesperson said the import health standard was based oninternational standards under the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) aimed atmanaging scrapie risk in sheep and goat germplasm.

"We also undertook our own scientific analysis, which found negligible risk from the transmission of scrapie in this germplasm. As further protection, we've imposed extra safeguards on imported genetic material."

Donors needed to come from either a certified scrapie-free country or from donors that were scrapie-free or had been tested for genotypes that proved resistance to scrapie, the spokesperson said.

MPI had been in contact withAustralian authorities on their new measures, and set up a working group of New Zealand exporters last year to find ways to keep trade flowing, they said.

"We understand Australian authorities are currently undertaking further risk analysis for imports of sheep and goat germplasm."

New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association president and Owaka farmer Jim Berney said there were two sides to the story - it was positive for breeders wanting genetics from the United Kingdom and Europe, but potentially negative for farmers wanting to export to Australia.

New Zealand sheep breeders who were likely to be most detrimentally affected were suffolk, corriedale and merino breeders. Yet it was a positive development for the likes of oxford breeders who would now have access to new genetics, he said.

"It's a catch-22 thing and I think every breeder will have to take it on their own merit."

Berney said the protocols for importing genetics would have to be very tight to ensure scrapie did not make its way to New Zealand.

There was a feeling among farmers that because the government owned Landcorp, they were getting more benefit from the change in protocols, he said.

"It seems a shame that one entity can get an advantage over others."

-Stuff

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Sheep genetics import changes harm NZ farmers - Stuff.co.nz