Boonsri Dickinson investigates commercial DNA tests.
There’s no doubt that genetic intrigue is here, but the results of the DNA tests on the market might disappoint. However, some people have used the tests to gain insight into their ancestry, health, and even dating. I’m one of these genetic pioneers. The timing is right for these companies: The technology is cheap and hundreds of thousands of people are interested. Not surprisingly, the DNA consumer market has taken off and the tests sell for under $1,000. The companies’ websites are filled with plenty of testimonials. All you need to do is send off a mouthful of spit to find out information about your genetic code.
I took the 23andMe test when the test launched several years ago. From unlocking ancestral secrets to suggesting possible health risks, 23andMe offers information to satisfy every possible curiosity. The tests check for mutations that can tell you if you are lactose intolerant or if you have dry earwax. A new feature they’ve added is cousin finder — I occasionally get emails asking me to connect with a possible person who may or may not be my fifth cousin.
Services like 23andMe can pinpoint where your mother’s mother’ mother’s or father’s father’s father’s genes come from. The company will put you on the evolutionary tree, but it’s not going to reconnect you with all your relatives. The test is more about the history of mankind and your place in it. And in fact, using DNA to test for one’s ancestry is quite popular. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a Harvard professor is hosting a show on PBS now called “Faces of America.” Some of those faces include Mario Batali, Stephen Colbert, and Malcolm Gladwell.
I also tried using DNA tests for dating purposes. A test from GenePartner only costs $99 and you get to swab a potential mate to see if they are biologically compatible. The check swab tests check to see if you and your mate have dissimilar genes, which would help you have children with strong immune systems. Scientists have found that couples have more biological attraction when their genes that are linked to their immune system are the most dissimilar. According to GenePartner’s website: “The GenePartner project was inspired by a famous study performed by Prof. Dr. [Claus] Wedekind at the University of Bern in Switzerland. In this study, Prof. Dr. Wedekind recruited female volunteers to smell T-shirts worn by men for three consecutive days and rate them for attractiveness. He then analyzed the particular part of DNA that codes for HLA (human leukocyte antigen) molecules and found that women preferred T-shirts from men whose HLA molecules were most different from their own. Sensing and classifying the HLA genes is something our bodies do automatically and subconsciously.”
And since this is a morning show, I have to mention a DNA test for dieters. Interleukin Genetics checks for 3 genes linked to obesity. They can tell you if you are better off eating low carbs or low fats. Now this test might be the answer to the low-carb versus low-fat dilemma.
Links:
DNA companies
My DNA Diary: http://discovermagazine.com/2008/sep/20-how-much-can-you-learn-from-a-home-dna-test
Big Think (Video): http://bigthink.com/ideas/15535
Richard Powers: Book of Love http://www.gq.com/news-politics/big-issues/200810/richard-powers-genome-sequence
My Genome, My Self: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazine/11Genome-t.html?pagewanted=all
Andrew Pollack’s take: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/business/20consumergene.html
23andMe: https://www.23andme.com/
DecodeMe: http://www.decodeme.com/
Navigenics: http://www.navigenics.com/
3 Faces of Eve
My Ancestry: http://discovermagazine.com/2009/nov/03-faces-of-eve
FamilyTreeDNA: http://www.familytreedna.com/Default.aspx?c=1
Dating
Genepartner: http://genepartner.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRJU-hG5xds
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