Neanderthals ~ a life not unlike our own, explored

There has been a great deal of news about Neanderthals over the past few weeks. Firstly, I noticed a few articles on the Neanderthal diet and then it was the imagination inspiring National Geographic's special the Neanderthal Code that intrigued me. So, with interest and imagination bursting from the seams of my consciousness, I started dreaming. Dreaming of a day in which I could have said, Hi- to my fellow man... A day in which our people would not be able to boisterously exude superiority over all other life, as someone could have argued their case. I can feel the reality of a day when a fellow 'success of evolution' shared my path and was possibly so close an evolutionary cousin that we could have bred. It is so stimulating to read about Neanderthal's and their affiliation or integration with Homo sapiens. With each new discovery, more questions are raised. Thankfully, others are just as passionate and the information is beginning to flow. The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and 454 Life Sciences are the facilitators of the Neanderthal Gene sequencing project. ; Through the discovery of a rarely well preserved femur bone that was luckily full of wonderfully dense Neanderthal DNA, we may soon have more answers than we were looking for…

RNA ~ post grew from 'A Simpler Origin for Life' (Scientific American; Feb. 12th, 2007)

I started my exploration tonight on something I had heard a few weeks back about the origin of life and how prior to DNA / RNA world of today, that life was likely all RNA based. Additionally, there are theories into a more simplistic age in which life was based on something that was neither RNA nor DNA; but, that is for another post…

When I think about DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid); what comes to mind is programming. That DNA is like the playwright of life. The intricacies of ourselves that these DNA programs control, not only outline what we are, but also explain how we are. We start out in life, depending on how you look at it, as two pieces; one peace being the Ovum (ironically the largest cell in the human body)the other being the Sperm. Each providing data, pre-programming and the materials necessary to begin the production; together they complement and initiate the replicable genetic programming that is necessary to make a new human.

Genetic map of human migration

In this Scientific American article, the wonderful expansion of genetic utility comes into play, by mapping the progression of human migration. This is fascinating, take the following expert;

“Then, in 1987, Rebecca L. Cann and Allan C. Wilson of the University of California, Berkeley, published a groundbreaking paper based on analyzing the DNA of mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing organelles, which are passed down through the maternal line. They reported that humans from different populations all descended from a single female in Africa who lived about 200,000 years ago—a finding that immediately made headlines trumpeting the discovery of the “Mitochondrial Eve.” (Despite the Biblical allusion, this Eve was not the first woman: her lineage, though, is all that has survived.)” ~Scientific American, July 08 issue, pg 58

This only begins the material discussed. The article includes both the analytical study of mitochondrial DNA (maternal decent) as well as the less familiar traceability of the Y chromosome, which is passed on paternally to only male children. It also discusses some amazing information about different theory’s including one of Neandertal (or, Neanderthal) and Homo sapiens partaking in inter species breeding.

KAS

Trypanosoma cruzi, Western blot ~ My first lab walkthrough :)

I watched a man carrying a framed window off street to Huntington Ave while I sat pensively reflecting on my day and how a lack of smiles took my joy (likely frowning in my sunglasses as I peered at him.) Early thirties, clearly focused on the difficult task at hand that had him walking lengthily with an awkward square framed piece of glass -he wasn't distracted. And I thought, how strange windows are. How odd to build thick walls and chained metal doors, but to carve out squares in walls as designated area's where light is allowed to pass un-thwarted, where air is controlled by this minute, delicate, volatile piece of glass that offers no defense whatsoever to a building... Glass does nothing but imply solidity. So where was this poor man heading, tasked awkwardly, in order to install this translucent illusion? It distracted my thoughts successfully, offering only moments of relief from my own mind, until the subway pulled along...

But, anyway, back on topic. So, last week a wonderfully inviting and friendly co-worker whom I meet in my orientation about four months back, offered me a walk through in his lab. I leave his name out, except that his first name is David, as well as the scientist he works for, out of respect for privacy -not disrespect. Let me begin by saying that I have never been in a lab. Being that I have pursued administration and not science, this is not unusual. I am, however, at a science school for more intentional reasons than to be an executive assistant (however much I enjoy this work and whom I am fortunate enough to work with.) I only mention such, as to explain my utter fascination and gratitude for this unique opportunity.

Willy Wonka in Space?

Basic sugar molecules were recently found in space; near a ripe star birthing location in space that could host life due to the fact that Glycolaldehyde is a componant of RNA (Ribonucleic Acid consists of a nitrogeneous base, a ribose sugar and a phosphate)

Click title to read article source.

KAS

The Human Genome

Wednesday night, in Boston, the weather was just beautiful. Fortunately, I had a useful reason to enjoy it as I was attending a seminar in the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.

~ Panelists ~

David Altshuler, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Genetics and of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
and Massachusetts General Hospital;
Co-founder, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT

George Church, Ph.D.
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School;
Member of the Affiliated Faculty, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences
and Technology

Jeffrey M. Drazen, M.D.
Parker B. Francis Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Editor-in-Chief, New England Journal of Medicine

Chao-Ting Wu, M.D.
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School;
Director, Personal Genetics Education Project

With Moderator;
Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D.
Paul C. Cabot Professor of Genetics,
Harvard Medical School
Professor of Medicine,
Brigham and Women's Hospital;

Member, Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine

The goal of the Human Genome Project was to map the entire human genome and began in 1990 on the work that consisted of having to map six million pairs of DNA. George Church was the founder of the Genome Project and was one of the first to develop the technologies that allow for sequencing. He is currently the founder of the Personal Genome Project as well; a quest to publicly display the mapped genome's of 100,000 individuals for the purpose of making data available for the analysis of the entire human community. This ambitious project is worth following. Mapping of your own genome could cost as little as $5K as early as this coming year..

Throughout your own body, some DNA varies. there may be chromosomes or parts missing. The double helix; or, structure of DNA comes from the conjunction of the mothers and the fathers DNA. Very unjustly described as two strands of pearls, tightly twisted around each other. Well, usually these genes work together and whatever the combination agrees on becomes your own custom program. Well, apparently as has resulted in testing on mice, the genes sometimes 'battle' as headstrong bullies that convince the other gene to go completely silent. This was said by Dr. Wu along with the fact that this hasn't been shown in human genes as of yet. And, most amazingly, I learned about Repeat Induced Point Mutation which is essentially the random rewriting of a gene in order to change itself to something less compatible to the gene it is matched up with; assisting in the assurance of a unique genetic program. An innate activity inducing change, variation- selection. So interesting.

Also discussed were the implications of mapped DNA and it's effect on privacy or obligation. A law recently passed, GINA Act, making prejudice by insurance companies based on looking at an individuals genome, illegal. But, it's still very legal to lift an individuals DNA for analysis from any public (or private with a warrant) location as you freely discard cells all day long...

But, the drama comes into play with the fact that knowledge is not necessarily power in cases in which no treatment or dire diagnosis exist. Furthermore, some centers that are offering sequencing for things like breast cancer by looking at the genes BRCA1 & BRCA2; but are disturbingly able to 'brand' the testing for one of these two respectable breast cancer predictors... So, other places offer 'breast cancer' screening while not being able to actually scan for both BRCA1 & BRCA 2 and largely at the ignorance of their customers. Lastly, the implications of knowing you have a genetically inherited disease and that it's likely you parents and siblings could also get the disease - do you tell everyone? What if your family is very religious and disagree with genetic testing on religious grounds? Would you have children, would you test those children prior to deciding whether to bring them to term? These questions arise and with them critics.

For reflection; all DNA is written with the same language - all life is alike.

Further Reading
Harvard Medical School Genetics Page
National Human Genome Research Institute
The Experimental Man Project
The Genetic Alliance

~KAS