Secrets of Your DNA: Fascinating Genetic Testing

Do you want to know from where your ancestors come? Which part of the world you belong to? What kind of gene you have in you? What are the probabilities of getting hereditary disease? What hereditary factor you have in you? Or do you know that you can compare your genes with your family members, with friends or with a celebrity – what’s common between you and them?

Is it not exciting!! Sounding strange?

Here is the answer…

There are social networking companies which test your gene, analyze and give the results which you are interested in.

Let’s see how this works – there are social networking Internet-based companies like Navigenics, 23andme, deCODE me, DNA Direct, etc…which collect your DNA sample and analyze it. All you need to do is order for the kit and send in a sample of spit. The company screens your DNA for interesting hotspots of genetic variation called SNP (Single Nucleotide Protein), and then gives you a private, web-based readout of what your results mean. They isolate your DNA and wash over a prepared chip that screens about half a million SNPs of note. Then they link the results with a risk assessment and available scientific information and make it available through a website for you to peruse. This is how you can know from which part of the world you come from and your ancestors belong to. Same way you can compare your gene with your family member, friends, sportsman, film stars or with any celebrity and you can know how much percentage of genes you share with them.

Each company has its own charges for genetic testing. 23andme is charging $999, Navigenics is charging from $2000 to $3000, likewise, other companies are charging thousands of dollars. It’s very costly as of now.

When compared, the general population has myriad diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, muscular degeneration, color blindness, etc. These genetic tests give you the probability of getting such genetic diseases. But many scientists say that whether the average person’s health will actually improve after they get the information will depend on whether they truly understand the results.

It is good to know the genetic risk so that people can take some precautions, but some people become scared after knowing that they have the risk of getting the disease. They mentally become weak. It’s up to them how they take it.

Fun part of this genetic testing is here. Suppose a girl or a guy proposes; neither of them accepts proposals so easily these days. People have started selecting their life partner on the basis of genetic testing. Before they get in to a relation they try to know what kind of genes he/she has, try to know the genetic risk which he/she carries and also compare with their favorite film stars. Then they decide whether to accept the proposal. Seems very strange, isn’t it?

Also, if you want to become a good sportsman, a wait lifter, you can test your gene. You can test your gene to know whether the muscle-building gene is there in you or know the gene which can help you in running fast, swimming, etc. You can also compare your genetic mapping with your favorite sports person so that you can know if you share the same gene.

Apart from genetic risks, ancestry you can identify a specific gene trait and make a portrait of that. DNA 11, originators of DNA art and pioneers in the industry have created the GenePak™ that makes the portraits of their customer’s gene. This kind of art is more in demand now. You can see the picture below.

Isn’t it very interesting!

I think reading individual's genome will eventually become very common, an important tool – but that it will take some time, may be a decade or two. As everything is depending on the technology, hope costs will also come down and then everyone can have their genetic test done, and have a DNA portrait in their home.

By Usha Gokak