Group Presentation on DNA variation

Question 1

What are the different uses for DNA variation

Answer 1

• Phenotyping- pigmentation
• Facial feature predictions
• Genetic Genealogy
• Metagenomics
• Wildlife forensics

Question 2

Tell me the link between phenotyping- pigmentation and DNA variation

Answer 2

Skin pigmentation
* Melanin produced by Melanocytes
* Most common form of melanin is eumelanin
* SNPS involved in melanin variation
* Genetic variation of pigmentation is a result in down regulation of melanin synthesis
* Extrinsic factors: UV radiation, Air pollution, hormones
* Development of DNA phenotyping: VNTRs –> STRs –> SNPs

Eye Colour
* OCA2 and HERC2 on chromosome 15 correlates to melanin in iris

Hair colour
* MC1R on chromosome 14 leads to the production of melanocortin

Question 3

Tell me the link between Facial feature prediction and DNA variation

Answer 3

• Face-to-DNA classifier matches a face phenotype database based on molecular features
• Phenotype predictions based on 24 individual SNPs
• Challenge to know how much of a gene influences facial features
• Parabon- a US forensic company, who provide profiles of suspects by phenotyping
• Confirmation bias
• environmental impact to phenotype

Question 4

Tell me the link between Genetic Genealogy and DNA variation

Answer 4

• relation between individuals and ancestors
• Y-DNA testing
• MtDNA testing
• Autosomal DNA testing- no haplotypes
• limitations- using varying DNA markers for comparison, not all ethnic groups are represented equally, some ethnic groups dont differ as much as others
• exmaple: Golden state killer

Question 5

Tell me the link between Metagenomics and DNA variation

Answer 5

• The study of the structure and function of the entire nucleotide sequences isolated and analysed from all organism
• human Microbiome projects and Global ocean sampling expedition
• amplicon sequencing
• applications: identify new viruses, public health, forensics
• limitations: large and complex data, large diversity

Question 6

Tell me the link between Wildlife forensics and DNA variation

Answer 6

• Methods= species identification and geographic origin
• ID of animal remains: animal carcasses, bone fragments, vertebrate species, entomology
• poaching
• animal cruelty (need wildlife species database)