/r/genetics

Photograph via //r/genetics

For discussion of genetics research, ethical and social issues arising from genetics and its applications, genetics career questions, etc.

Genetics, genes, and genomes

Frequently asked questions

If your post is not showing up or receiving any views, it may be caught in the automatic spam filter. Please use the modmail to ask for a manual review.

 

Rules:

  1. Be nice - No trolling, personal attacks, hate speech, bullying, harassment, etc.

  2. No promotions or advertisements without moderator approval - This includes crowdfunding, online courses, personal genetics testing services.

  3. No low effort posts - Posts which are directly addressed by the FAQs in the wiki may be removed. Posts and comments should generate or contribute to a discussion.

  4. No pseudoscience or misinformation

  5. No medical questions - We are not equipped to provide medical advice. Please see the pinned readme thread for details on this rule.

  6. No homework or study help posts outside of the megathread - Please see the pinned megathread for guidelines.

  7. No posts containing just personal ancestry/genetic testing results - Posts for help with interpreting such results should contain a specific question and will be removed if covered by the FAQ.

  8. Directly link to research studies - Videos, press summaries, or news articles discussing a specific study must be accompanied by a link to the study in question.

Please use the report feature to notify the moderators of rule violations so they can be dealt with quickly.

*Mods reserve the right to remove posts or comments at their discretion. Repeated or particularly egregious violations of these rules may result in temporary or permanent bans. If you have any questions or complaints, feel free to contact the mod team via modmail.

 

Helpful links
Please check out our wiki for FAQs and helpful resources in genetics.

/r/genetics

114,214 Subscribers

0

So idk if I have klinefelters syndrome or if I'm not reading this correctly

This is me needing help to understand this, but I understand if it gets removed bc it's ancestry. I'm not really a geneticist and yeah idk if it's abnormal or not

14 Comments
2024/12/02
07:46 UTC

1

Genetics testing - insurance

I’m a candidate to get genetic testing and talk to genetics counselor. I live in the USA and every time we get a new president they change the rules around healthcare coverage. The biggest reason I have not done it is privacy and how it could be used against me where I could be denied coverage because the genetics test could show I have the gene marker. Is there a way to do the genetics testing - anonymously?

3 Comments
2024/12/02
06:19 UTC

0

Nebula Genomics or Veritas?

I would like to use one of these companies for whole genome sequencing. I’d like to keep the cost around/under $1k. I like the idea of 100x sequencing (if I’m only doing the test once in my life why not do the most accurate test?) but don’t know a ton about how much more you’re really getting from a 100x vs 30x. I prefer my data not be sold or shared without my consent - definitely not if it’s tied to my personal info. My primary purpose for doing this is to gain valuable health insights and learn actionable changes to make to improve it. I plan to upload the results to the FoundMyFitness genetic dashboard and use reports/studies the company provides access to in order to learn about said insights and changes. Input is appreciated, thank you in advance

5 Comments
2024/12/02
00:48 UTC

0

MD geneticist in Europe

Hi everyone! In my country, genetics as a residency, exist only for 3 years. Im interested and might apply but my concerns are that there aren’t any geneticists besides pediatric ones who would be able to share the knowledge.

What is the situation in Europe? How appreciated geneticist are, what is their future?

Thanks!

0 Comments
2024/12/01
20:47 UTC

4

high school genetics class

I am teaching a semester long high school genetics course next year and am trying to put together a good course. I would like some guidance on books, worksheets, games, genetics websites,etc., basically anything you would consider important for this type of class.

5 Comments
2024/12/01
00:12 UTC

1

Genetic counseling, MD geneticist, or PhD

Hi all, I am looking for some guidance or personal experience!!

I am a junior genetics major, and since I was in high school have wanted to pursue genetic counseling for a number of reasons. However, the more people I meet who are in human genetics/ clinical genetics in fields other than genetic counseling, the more I questions if I want to pursue the MD or PhD route.

I absolutely love genetics, always have, and am confident that the field itself will fulfill me for the rest of my life. However, after shadowing a geneticist as well as hearing about the job my lab’s graduated PhD student works now in diagnosing diseases via genomics I’m realizing that these career routes are extremely compelling to me as well.

Before college, genetic counseling was the obvious choice for me because it is only a masters, the salary is great, and there are so many directions you can go in concerning the field. But now that I am a junior and realize that I blinked and am suddenly a year from graduating, 4+ more years of education does not seem so daunting.

Becoming a geneticists would allow even more direction and ability than a genetic counselor, and would allow me to work internationally which is something I consider heavily. There are also even more of a shortage for geneticists than either other path, so I feel I could have a larger impact. But I don’t see myself in med school, and had never considered it before.

As for a PhD route, I adore the type of people within this tract, and love research and my lab. It would also be paid for, and again allow for international work or for more ability within a research based career within genetics or something like the PhD student does now. But there also seems to be less job opportunities in clinical genetics, if this is even true, and sometimes I even see myself completely steering outside of clinical. It’s all just so interesting and fulfilling for me.

What helped you guys decide which path to pursue within genetics, and what do you love about what you do now?

11 Comments
2024/11/30
21:58 UTC

0

Genetics & Long Covid

Hi all

I think I’ve found a genetic rationale for some patients with long covid myself included. I was wanting to know if there’s a genealogist who can assist me who may have a strong interest in this area? It’s my first post but I think I’ve found something rather curious.. you see I’m one of the long standing NOVID’s and I believe I have the protective HIV antigen from Nordic ancestry/black plaque survivor descendants. I had my HLA profile done and I would love it if there’s a specialist in this area I could work with.

8 Comments
2024/11/30
18:31 UTC

0

How do traits inherited paternally get passed down

My grandfather died of heart failure and my dad died of heart failure and also a male 2nd cousin.

And no males on my mother's side have heart problems.

So is this something I'll likely inherit ?

5 Comments
2024/11/30
14:55 UTC

5

Offsprings of two sets of identical twins.

How much dna would these double cousins share coming from 2 sets of identical twins.

2 Comments
2024/11/30
07:07 UTC

0

Doubting my current major and college

I couldn't think of a good title, and please bare with me if I sound like I'm just spewing stuff because I'm still thinking about this.

So I'm currently studying online at an art university to earn my degree in animation/VFX but I'm having some second thoughts about my career choice. I'm starting to gain interest in science again, specifically genealogy. Studying genes, traits, and biology in humans and animals sounds like a lot of fun and possibly, a more stable income source as a career, which is pretty much the main reason why I'm considering possibly trying to enroll elsewhere to study such. The animation industry is so hard to start out in and earn money straight away, and I'm afraid I won't be able to pull my weight if I stick with my current career choice.

The problems with this are as follows:
- I'm already three semesters deep (I'm 19, a college sophomore) and I'd feel awful wanting to switch and start over, my parents are paying and actively going into debt for me to continue attending my current university, and them paying for more years of me going to college will only worsen their (and my, I plan to pay this back to them in the future) debt.
- I depend on being able to go to school remotely/online and ON MY OWN TIME, I have a part-time job and I don't have the money, time, or resources to move or go to college out of state, and my current living and job situation does not accommodate for me to go to college on-campus or unfortunately even hybrid.

I'm not sure what there is I even CAN do, I might just suck it up and continue doing what it is I'm doing now. I feel like there might be too much at risk. Any suggestions or comments are welcome and appreciated, I'd thought I'd just post here to maybe hear from people and explore some options.

TLDR: I possibly want to switch careers and universities to study genealogy but money, job, and living situations are making it extremely difficult to safely do so.

1 Comment
2024/11/30
04:34 UTC

0

Are English people related to Persians?

Are they related genetically and historically? Both belong to the Indo-European group

1 Comment
2024/11/29
23:28 UTC

2

Cousins between siblings and half siblings

I'm sure there's a better way to word that, but my brain is exhausted from trying to figure this out. If two full siblings have children with two half siblings, what kind of cousins are the children? How much dna do we share?

Here's my situation:

Tom and Lisa are half siblings. Same father, different mothers

Eddie and Melina are full siblings, same parents

Eddie + Lisa = me

Tom + Melina = my cousin

Are we half cousins or double cousins or?? What is this called? I've been googling for an hour, and I keep getting stuff on inc*st.

Please don't make fun of me 😂

5 Comments
2024/11/29
18:11 UTC

2

Looking for books recommendations

Hello

I'm forensic major student who is looking for a textbook which gives me insights about epigenetics (I really will appreciate if it explains from basic)

Thank you <3

0 Comments
2024/11/29
07:00 UTC

0

What's the difference?

What is the difference between an Egyptian and a Coptic Egyptian in 23andme DNA analysis? .. meant by “Egyptian” is that I am Egyptian with a little mixing with other races, and “Egyptian Coptic" meaning a completely pure ancient Egyptian race? Do I understand correctly?

1 Comment
2024/11/29
05:05 UTC

2

How can a population have high levels of genetic diversity but also high levels of identity-by-descent?

A study from 2010, which I will list below, claims that Ashkenazi Jews have higher genetic diversity than non-Jewish Europeans, but also higher identity-by-descent. How is this possible? https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1004381107

8 Comments
2024/11/28
18:27 UTC

0

There's this study I found from 2016 that I'm not sure if I am misunderstanding.

This post is kind of related to one I posted a few hours ago. This study claims that Ashkenazi Jews are closest genetically to Turkish and Caucasian populations. However, this graph included in the study that shows genetic distances between Ashkenazi Jews and other populations appears to show Ashkenazi Jews noticeably closer to Greek and Italian populations than Turkish and Caucasian populations. Is this study cherry-picking data, or is there something I am misunderstanding? I have only a cursory knowledge of genetics, mainly from what little I learned in high school biology, so I could be completely wrong about what this graph is showing.

10 Comments
2024/11/28
05:15 UTC

6

NIPT- T21 detected

Hello everyone. I’m sorry if this is the wrong group for a question like this.

I’m 29 years old, 15 weeks with my first pregnancy, no family history of Down syndrome.

A week ago I received my MaterniT21 NIPT results showing an increased representation of chromosome 21. 14% fetal fraction and a positive predictive value of 61.3%.

My next step is an amniocentesis but due to living overseas(military) and the lack of maternal fetal medicine providers, I have to wait to be approved by a Japanese doctor to be seen and tested.

While I’m waiting in this limbo hell, I guess I was just wondering what anyone’s thoughts are on my results? Can I remain hopeful for a false positive?

I haven’t slept much and I feel like I’m losing my mind.

26 Comments
2024/11/28
04:48 UTC

10

Learning about mutations and chromosomal conditions in my genetics class and it feels harder to believe that not everyone has a pathogenic or life altering mutation

Weird thought post, but I’m learning about how much can go wrong in genetics and it makes me thing “how the hell do healthy people exist”.

I mean this is also coming from a girl who has been through 4 rounds of genetic testing and now an upcoming WGS, bc my family is fucked up and we probably has some inbreeding way back when. So maybe that’s why I can’t wrap my head around it.

But with all that can go wrong, and all that I’m learning about all I can think is, how the hell do genetically healthy people exist. There is so much that can happen, so many genetic errors. Idk just some thoughts rn

15 Comments
2024/11/28
03:54 UTC

9

How accepted is Eran Elhaik's claim in a 2022 article the principle component analysis is essentially useless in finding objective genetic facts?

First of all, I understand that Eran Elhaik is an extremely controversial geneticist. In fact, the text of his article makes it very clear that its essentially purpose is to challenge the findings of principle component analyses which place Ashkenazi Jews closest to Southern Italian, Maltese, and Cretan populations, and promote his controversial historical theories namely that Asheknazi Jews are descended from Turks. That is a whole different issue. In the article, he essentially claims that principle component analysis is essentially useless in finding objective genetic facts. Is this true? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-14395-4

18 Comments
2024/11/27
23:07 UTC

7

Can someone please explain this?

Female here- I have 1 altered copy of a gene (not 2). My partner is not a carrier. What are the chances of me passing this gene to our son? Are chances extremely rare because im not homozygous and only a carrier?

10 Comments
2024/11/27
21:57 UTC

0

Specific Genetic Origin

Is it possible to determine specific location of my genetic origin?

1 Comment
2024/11/27
19:56 UTC

0

Genetic test results! Can someone explain to me doctors office is closed till Monday.

My paternal grandmother has had breast cancer the reason I took the test.

19 Comments
2024/11/27
18:27 UTC

4

Monthly Homework Help Megathread

All requests for help with exam study and homework questions must be posted here. Posts made outside this thread will generally be removed.

Are you a student in need of some help with your genetics homework? Do you need clarification on basic genetics concepts before an exam? Please ask your questions here.

Please follow the following basic guidelines when asking for help:

  • We won't do your homework for you.
  • Be reasonable with the amount of questions that you ask (people are busy, and won't want to walk you through an entire problem set).
  • Provide an adequate description of the problem or concept that you're struggling with. Blurry, zoomed-in shots of a Punnett square are not enough.
  • Respond to requests for clarification.
  • Ask your instructor or TA for help. Go to office hours, and participate in class.
  • Follow the template below.

Please use the following template when asking questions:

Question template


Type:

Level:

System:

Topic:

Question:

Answer:

What I know:

What I don’t know:

What I tried:

Other:


End template

Example


Type: Homework

Level: High school

System: Cats

Topic: Dihybrid cross

Question: “The genetic principles that Mendel uncovered apply to animals as well as plants. In cats, for instance, Black (B) is dominant over brown (b) fur color and Short (S) fur is dominant over long (s) fur. Suppose a family has a black, short-furred male, heterozygous for both of these traits that they mate with a heterozygous black, long-furred female. Determine and present the genotypes of the two parent animals, the likely gametes they could produce and assuming they have multiple, large liters what is the proportion of kittens of each possible phenotype (color and length) that the family might expect.”

Answer: N/A

What I know: I understand how to do a Punnett square with one allele. For example, Bb x Bb.

Bb
BBBBb
bBbbb

What I don’t know: I don’t know how to properly set up the Punnett square to incorporate the additional S (fur length) allele in the gamete.

What I tried: I tried Googling “cat fur genetics” and didn’t find any useful examples.

Other: What happens if there is another allele added to these?


End of Example

This format causes me abject pain, why do I have to fill out the template?

  1. We want folks to learn and understand. Requiring the user to put in effort helps curb the number of “drive-by problem sets” being dumped onto the sub from users expecting the internet to complete their assignments.
  2. Posters often do not include enough information to adequately help answer the question. This format eliminates much of the guesswork for respondents and it allows responders quickly assess the level of knowledge and time needed to answer the question.
  3. This format allows the posts to be programmatically archived, tagged, and referenced at later times for other students.

Type: Where did the question come from? Knowing the origin of the question can help us formulate the best available answer. For example, the question might come from homework, an exam, a course, a paper, an article, or just a thought you had.

Level: What is the expected audience education level of the question and answer? This helps us determine if the question should be answered in the manner of, “Explain like I’m 5” or “I’m the PI of a mega lab, show me the dissertation” E.g.--elementary school, high school, undergraduate, research, nonacademic, curiosity, graduate, layperson

System: Which species, system, or field does the question pertain? E.g.—human, plant, in silico, cancer, health, astrobiology, fictional world, microbiology

Topic: What topic is being covered by the question? Some examples might include Mendelian genetics, mitosis, codon bias, CRISPR, or HWE.

Question: This is where you should type out the question verbatim from the source.

Answer: If you’ve been provided an answer already, put it here. If you don’t have the answer, leave this blank or fill in N/A.

What I know: Tell us what you understand about the problem already. We need to get a sense of your current domain knowledge before answering. This also forces you to engage with the problem.

What I don’t know: Tell us where you’re getting stuck or what does not make sense.

What I tried: Tell us how you’ve approached the problem already. What worked? What did not work?

Other: You can put whatever you want here or leave it blank. This is a good place to ask follow-up questions and post links.

3 Comments
2024/11/27
17:00 UTC

0

what?

Hey guys! I published a post yesterday asking for help from a geneticist to explain some of the pictures that were included in the Nature magazine study on Egyptian genes 2017.

Then one of the people commented on the post and told me that no one would answer without me providing a link to the study, so I sent him the link to the study,

and he told me that 3 samples It just does not represent all of Egypt, so I told him that I knew that very well, and the study also indicated that, The study also indicated that modern Egyptians share genes with ancient Egyptians, but they have an 8% increase in genetic components from sub-Saharan Africa,

and the picture that I am talking about from the beginning also contains 125 samples of modern Ethiopians,

and the study said in text, We furthermore included data from the El-Hayez oasis published by Kujanová and colleagues30. We observe highly similar haplogroup profiles between the three ancient groups (Fig. 3a), supported by low FST values (<0.05) and P values >0.1 for the continuity test. Modern Egyptians share this profile but in addition show a marked increase of African mtDNA lineages L0–L4 up to 20% (consistent with nuclear estimates of 80% non-African ancestry reported in Pagani et al.17). Genetic continuity between ancient and modern Egyptians cannot be ruled out by our formal test despite this sub-Saharan African influx, while continuity with modern Ethiopians17, who carry >60% African L lineages, is not supported

Then this guy responds to me and accuses me of trying to make the study prove something that it does not prove. So I told him that all I said was actually said by the study and I sent him a link to the study and everything.

However, many people downvoted my comments and in fact I am confused and I do not know where the mistake is. Am I wrong or is the this guy wrong???

https://preview.redd.it/5ye6l70ckf3e1.png?width=320&format=png&auto=webp&s=1d0fb5a8adf86a04406c331819f6aaf421e028b2

https://www.reddit.com/r/genetics/comments/1h06c04/i_need_help_explaining_this/

edit: Looks like the guy I'm talking about did a downvote for this post too lol

14 Comments
2024/11/27
11:35 UTC

Back To Top