Computer program shows anyone's ancestors

Imagine that you were adopted without knowing your genetic background. You do not know which heritage or illness you are likely to be genetically affected. Most of us know a little about the origin of our family tree, but little is known about what those lower branches mean in terms of their ability to be affected by illnesses from their ancestors.

Each person's DNA is unique but DNA from people with common ancestors has common properties that can be identified.(Photo: © Estate of Rachel Tanur)

Now a group of computer researchers, mathematicians and biologists around the world have developed a computer algorithm that is able to quickly detect each individual's gene family with just one sample. Their small DNA. In fact, this program can find the gene family of thousands of individuals within minutes without knowing the background of these people.

This multidisciplinary approach, published in the September 2007 issue of PLoS Genetics, allows the team to explore this type of research in a novel way. Unlike previous computer programs, which require the knowledge of an individual's ancestors and backgrounds, the new algorithm looks for specific DNA markers known as single nucleotides polymorphisms (polymorphism). Single nucleotide) or SNP and need nothing but DNA samples.

Researchers have used genetic data from previous studies to implement and verify their research, including the new HapMap database, which is being conducted to detect and organize mutations. in the human genome.

'This study is an exciting opportunity for the creation of an interdisciplinary research team of computer scientists, mathematicians and human geneticists,' said professor of computer science. calculate Petros Drineas's speech.

'Since we've found that this program runs very well, we hope to do it on a much larger scale, using hundreds of thousands of SNPs and thousands of people,' said Dr Dreaseas. 'This program will be a valuable tool in understanding our gene family and towards other drugs and cures because it is possible that these can affect people with different ancestors in very different ways. '

Understanding our different genetic structure is an extremely important step to elucidate the genetic basis for complex diseases. Although the human genome between one person and the other is 99% identical, the remaining 1% has a major effect on our response to disease, viruses, oral medications and toxins. If researchers can discover the details of this tiny gene, the details that make us different, biomedical studies and treatments can be done according to the location of each one.

This program will help people understand their unique background and assist historians and psychiatrists in their studies of where different populations originate and how people Become a diverse society across the globe.

This program is 99% more accurate when testing and accurately identifying the ancestors of hundreds of people. These include people from similar genetic populations (such as China and Japan) and complex genetic populations such as Puerto Ricans, who may have multiple backgrounds. different include Indian ancestors, European ancestors and African ancestors.

'When we compare our findings to existing databases, only one person is misidentified,' Dr Drineas said. He explained that these results are only the beginning but extremely promising. The team is currently working to test its program on a larger scale.

Aside from Drineas, this algorithm is also developed by scientists from California, Puerto Rico, and Greece.

Although the human genome between one person and the other is 99% identical, the remaining 1% has a major effect on our response to disease, viruses, oral medications and toxins.(Photo: Credit: James. J. Caras, National Science Foundation)

The chart of these markers shows 255 people from 4 continents.Red and green represent the same genotypes.Black symbolizes gene mutations.The patterns are in four continents, highlighting the genetic similarity among those with ancestors.(Photo: Democritus University of Thrace / Peristera Paschou)