SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY
All Genes Aren't Indispensable
from Science News
People don't need a full set of working genes to lead healthy lives, a new study shows. People
can dispense with at least one active copy of 100 genes and get by without about 20 genes
entirely.
Many genetic diseases result from mutations or genetic variants that inactivate genes. Such
variants are called loss-of-function variants and were thought to be rare. But as scientists
began compiling complete genetic profiles of thousands of people, it became clear that many genes
might be dispensable.
This plethora of inactivated genes may make it difficult for scientists to track down
disease-causing mutations in people with genetic disorders. But the new study provides some
guidelines for telling likely disease-causing variants from benign ones.
Read more...
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