<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17185 size-full" title="underarm odor" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/underarm-odor.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="282" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/underarm-odor.jpg 425w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/underarm-odor-300x199.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px" />
Here’s something to file under “Thank Goodness!” Researchers at the University of Bristol found that people with the genetic variant making them more prone to smelly armpits are also more likely to wear deodorant.
The paper, published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jid/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/jid2012480a.html">Journal of Investigative Dermatology</a>, looked at variants in the ABCC11 gene that had previously been identified with what scientists describe as “axillary osmidrosis,” known to most people as underarm odor.
Individuals with a certain version of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs17822931 don’t produce as much sweat as other genotypes making conditions less ripe for underarm body odor. Ancestry also plays a role – a higher percentage of people with East Asian ancestry have this version of the SNP. Fewer people with European or African ancestry have this variant.
Since we’re talking about bodily functions we might as well mention that this same SNP is also associated with whether you have <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/traits/earwax-type/">wet or dry earwax</a>.
While these associations have to do with physical traits, what the researchers in Bristol were looking at was behavior. Specifically, they investigated if use deodorant depended on whether or not an individual had a genetic predisposition toward sweating.
What they found was not too surprising: if you have the genetic variant that is associated with more body odor you’re more likely to use deodorant.
But the study – which looked at more than 17,000 people – also found that behavior may be explained by cultural influences. For instance, while the percent of women who probably should use deodorant but choose not to was pretty small, a whopping 13 percent of the men in the same genetic boat don’t use deodorant when they probably should. Yikes.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Smells Like Gene Spirit

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You may lack the enzyme thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and not even know it.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-serious-side-effects">Serious Side Effects</h6>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="285" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/cartoon-pills-300x285.png" alt="An image of prescription bottles. " class="wp-image-7843" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/cartoon-pills-300x285.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/cartoon-pills.png 478w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some of the more common thiopurine drugs:
6-Thioguanine (Lanvis ®)
6-Mercaptopurine (Purinethol ®)
Azathioprine (Azasan ®, Imuran ®)</figcaption></figure>



For most of those who lack the enzyme, it will never be a problem, but, for those who are prescribed thiopurine medication, the lack of functional TPMT enzyme could lead to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-customers-reported-side-effects-to-drugs">serious side effects</a>.



Thiopurines are a family of drugs that are used to “turn down” or suppress the immune system, which can be useful when you want to reduce inflammation, for instance.



They&#8217;re used in a variety of treatments for such conditions as <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/more-than-100-genetic-variations-associated-with-leukemia-treatment-response">leukemia</a>, organ transplant rejection, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn&#8217;s disease, and inflammatory bowel disease.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pharmacogenetic-testings">Pharmacogenetic Testings</h6>



While these are important drugs for many individuals, for those who lack functional TPMT enzyme, thiopurines cause serious side effects, such as bleeding and low blood count. &nbsp;Because of these potential side effects, a doctor can test for TPMT enzyme activity before prescribing thiopurine drugs, but a test isn’t always done.



There are a couple of different types of tests available. &nbsp;One type of test looks at the levels of TPMT enzyme directly. &nbsp;Another type of test looks for mutations in the gene that encodes the TPMT enzyme. &nbsp;Approximately 10 percent of people with European ancestry have reduced TPMT activity due to having inherited one mutant TPMT gene. About 0.3 percent have none at all due to having inherited two mutant copies.

Genetics and Response to Thiopurine Medications

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17124 size-full" title="Flu" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Flu.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="424" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Flu.jpg 283w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Flu-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px" />
A sure way to make you more diligent about washing your hands is to read some<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/health/flu-widespread-leading-a-range-of-winters-ills.html?ref=health"> coverage</a> of what’s turning out to be the worst flu season in recent memory.
<h2>Norovirus</h2>
A lucky few of us, however, have defenses that go beyond trusty soap and water – our genes. Approximately 30 percent of people with European ancestry and 20 percent of those with African ancestry carry a mutation that gives them extra protection against the most common strains of norovirus.
Norovirus is one of the three flu or flu-like viruses now spreading across the globe during this sick season.
<h2>Flu Season</h2>
What makes this so bad is what the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/health/flu-widespread-leading-a-range-of-winters-ills.html?ref=health">describes</a> as “the convergence of three flu or flu-like epidemics” hitting all at once. These three illnesses include an unusually virulent flu virus,  a nasty norovirus, and a whooping cough outbreak that&#8217;s as bad as it&#8217;s been in 60 years. As the article indicates, this all happens “amid the normal winter highs for the many viruses that cause symptoms on the colds and flu spectrum.” It&#8217;s not a pretty picture for those who fret about getting ill.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is a little less breathless in its description of flu season, but officials there are still heralding a warning.
According to the CDC&#8217;s Dr. Joe Bresee, “Reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) are nearing what have been peak levels during moderately severe seasons.” The CDC continues to recommend flu shots and antiviral medication when appropriate.
<h2>Norovirus Symptoms</h2>
So, let’s focus on the norovirus, which is sometimes described as the “stomach flu.” In reality, it isn’t the flu but “viral gastroenteritis.”
This nasty bug is hugely contagious and pretty unpleasant, with symptoms that include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. It spreads quickly, especially in close quarters, and can rapidly rip through schools, retirement communities, and hospitals. This latest outbreak is hitting the US right as the flu is spreading. This particular strain hit England a few weeks ago, making more than a million people ill, according to<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/08/norovirus-vomiting-bug-festive-period"> the Guardian</a>.
<h2>Genetic Protection</h2>
&#8216;Some people may be safer than most during this illness. About 30 percent of people with European ancestry and about 20 percent with African ancestry carry the AA version of SNP rs601338 in the FUT2 gene. These lucky folks need not fear the most common strain of norovirus like the rest of us. They lack the molecules noroviruses use to enter the digestive tract cells.  It doesn’t mean they are bulletproof from getting sick, but they are protected against most norovirus strains. Unfortunately, very few people of Asian ancestry carry the resistant genetic variant.
Whether you belong to the fortunate ones who carry this extra genetic protection or not, it is still a good idea to keep washing your hands. If you haven&#8217;t already, you might also consider getting a flu shot if it is available.

Genetic Armor in Flu Season

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-17116" title="Virginia Hughes" alt="" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Virginia-Hughes-300x173.jpg" width="300" height="173" />
Thank you, Virginia.
In<a href="https://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/01/ethics_of_genetic_information_whole_genome_sequencing_is_here_and_we_need.single.html"> a recent article</a> in Slate, <a href="http://virginiahughes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virginia Hughes</a>, who also blogs for National Geographic, nails it, hammering home the point that people are much smarter and tougher than they’re depicted in many news articles about genetic testing.
We’ve written before about what feels like fear mongering in some stories about DNA testing. Hughes writes that a lot of the media coverage is stuck on the same refrain that people won’t be able to handle the information they get from genetic testing.
“&#8230;this is the wrong question, or at least one that’s becoming increasingly irrelevant,” Hughes writes. “The personal genomics horse has bolted, and yet many paternalistic members of the medical community are still trying to shut the barn door. In doing so, they’re fostering a culture of DNA fear when what we really need is a realistic and nuanced genetics education.”

That last point, the need for more genetic literacy is key. Instead of covering the gap in genetic knowledge, some writers play up this diffuse fear that a test is going to tell you your destiny or that the information is just too difficult to handle.
Hughes argues that the commonly-expressed opinion, “…that a nonexpert couldn’t possibly understand the concept of uncertain risk and would therefore be harmed by the knowledge” is “patronizing” and “probably false.”
She goes on to say that it’s better to deal with the reality that people want access to their genetic information, and that more and more people are getting tested every day. It’s time to bring a more nuanced approach to how we talk about it.
A Hughes writes, “There’s no way around the fact that genomes are complicated and, at least for now, difficult to interpret. And sometimes, yes, they will lead to unpleasant information. But [genetic information] isn’t going to suddenly fade away. More and more people are getting their DNA sequenced and eager to find out what secrets, if any, it holds. So let’s figure out how to tell them.”
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We Can Handle the Truth About Genetics

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11797" title="CeCephoto" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/CeCephoto.jpg" alt="" width="114" height="162" />
December was a busy month for 23andMe and in the midst of the hubbub we put out <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry_composition_guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ancestry Composition</a>, an amazing feature that gives finer detail of an individual’s heritage going back generations.
Since its release, we’ve heard some great feedback saying the feature has set a new standard in the industry. Yeah, we think so too, but don’t just take our word on it.
Genetic genealogist CeCe Moore recently reviewed the top genetic ancestry tools on the market. Her conclusion after looking at them all? 23andMe’s Ancestry Composition is “the most informative and flexible” of the lot.
CeCe hasn’t been the only one to review the new feature favorably, particularly for its ability to return meaningful results for people of mixed ancestry, but as always she does so with a lot of insight into how to use these tools.
In the review, CeCe notes that she has relationships with all the services she reviews, including 23andMe, where she advocates on behalf of customers as one of our volunteer Ancestry Ambassadors.
Her popular blog Your Genetic Genealogist has become a go-to site for anyone interested in using both traditional genealogical search tools along with genetics. CeCe, who also works as a television producer and is a Southern California Regional Coordinator for the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, has a lot to say about Ancestry Composition and even has a few nits about the feature. We will address many of them over time.
Take a look at CeCe’s review and see what else she has to say about the wonderful world of genetic genealogy.

23andMe’s Ancestry Composition Driving Circles Around the Rest

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-17056" title="Christmas Tree" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ChristmasTree-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ChristmasTree-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ChristmasTree.jpg 424w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
If you could just get your Christmas tree to spit into a tube and extract some DNA, you might learn a lot about your holiday decoration.
For starters, you might be able to tell where it originated. Plant genetics, like animal genetics, is influenced by geography. A team of Douglas fir tree researchers, under the direction of Andrew Eckert and David Neale from the University of California, Davis, have discovered seven genetic markers with frequencies that vary with location across the Pacific Northwest. These markers were found in genes associated with cold-hardiness.
The implication is that northern Douglas fir trees, exposed to blustery winter weather, evolved to be genetically different from their southern-dwelling cousins. Their find, although not surprising, is interesting; science is now beginning to understand exactly how genetic variation leads to the cold-hardy trees of the north.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17057 size-full" title="TreeNeedles" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TreeNeedles.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="286" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TreeNeedles.jpg 420w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/TreeNeedles-300x204.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px" />
The real cutting edge of Christmas tree research, however, lies with cut trees and the mess that they make. Anyone with firsthand experience with a fresh-cut Christmas tree knows that shed needles are the price paid for that fresh piney scent. With an ever-earlier start to the Christmas season, needle retention research represents an opportunity; a tree which could retain its needles from Thanksgiving until well past New Year’s would be a commercial hit.
Gary Chastagner of the Washington State University, sometimes referred to as “Mr. Christmas Tree,” is leading a scientific quest for the holy grail of Christmas trees: better needle retention. The $1.3 million dollar project will use RNA sequencing and the “Denmark Needle Retention Scale” (which Chastagner developed with Danish tree scientists) to look for genetic associations.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-12163" title="small_23andMe_logo" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JRBgdIBXKIeVIdETJrxYIw_ttam_logo.jpg" alt="" width="24" height="40" />
Need a last-minute holiday gift to put under your tree?   <a href="https://www.23andme.com/store" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit our store</a>!
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Mr. Christmas Tree’s undertaking is an ambitious one, but could herald great news for those of us who prefer their pine needles on the Christmas tree and not in the vacuum cleaner. My next request? A tree which grows its own lights.

The Genetics of Your Christmas Tree

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-10750 size-full" title="top10ten" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/top10ten.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="345" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/top10ten.jpg 306w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/top10ten-266x300.jpg 266w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px" />
Take a moment to look back at the ten most interesting and significant genetic findings of 2012 or at least the ones that drew our attention.
In the last 12 months we’ve seen huge strides in genetic research giving us new insight into serious conditions such as Alzheimer’s as well as new treatments for cystic fibrosis. And in the last year scientists have made huge leaps in our understanding of the human genome itself with the culmination of a massive study of the so-called uncharted non-coding portions of our DNA – the ENCODE project.
Researchers at 23andMe continue to contribute to some of these important findings with groundbreaking work on the relative importance of family health history versus genetics when determining disease risk and a new method to screen for the genetic risk for certain types of blood disorders.
It’s been another great year of discovery and here’s our top ten.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-5677 size-full" title="alzheimers" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/alzheimers.jpg" alt="" width="435" height="310" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/alzheimers.jpg 435w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/alzheimers-300x214.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" />
1) &nbsp;A Genetic Variant Protective Against Alzheimer’s Disease – The T version of rs63750847 &nbsp;– also known as the A673T variant in the APP gene – was associated with about five times lower odds of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?cmd=Search&amp;db=pubmed&amp;term=22801501">Alzheimer&#8217;s</a>. While this is a very rare variant – only about one in 10,000 people of European descent have it – the research, done by the Icelandic company deCODE Genetics in association with Genentech, adds more insight into the development of the disease. Many mutations in the APP gene actually cause Alzheimer’s through an overproduction of beta amyloid protein in the brain (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s), but the protective variant appears to do the opposite, according to the study. New drugs built on this finding could help protect against Alzheimer’s, or even the mental ravages of normal aging. 23andMe does offer customers reports on their own Alzheimer’s risk based on the more common APOE variant, as well as a report on this protective APP variant.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-15558 size-full" title="encode" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/encode.jpg" alt="" width="574" height="334" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/encode.jpg 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/encode-300x175.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px" />
2) &nbsp;ENCODE Project Creates a Map of the Uncharted Areas of the Genome – Much of the work in genetics has been focused on the areas in our DNA that code for proteins, but this is a very small part – just 1 percent – of our genome. The<a href="https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/09/encode-human-genome/"> ENCODE project</a>, which has enlisted more than 400 scientists over several years, is attempting to map the rest of it, the so called<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/news/a-map-of-the-uncharted-genome/"> “dark matter” of the genome</a>. What they’ve created is the foundation of a sort of encyclopedia of the functions of many of these uncharted areas of the genome. It’s a resource that will be used by many scientists in the years to come.
3) &nbsp;Noninvasive Prenatal Sequencing – Two separate research groups reported within weeks of each other that they had<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/noninvasive-sequencing-of-a-human-fetus/"> successfully sequenced a human fetus</a> and done so noninvasively. The breakthrough offers an opportunity for earlier prenatal screening than currently offered with amniocentesis or chorionic villous sampling (CVS) without the same risks for a developing fetus.
4) &nbsp;New insights into a group of rare blood disorders known as MPNs – In less than a year, 23andMe recruited a 1,000-person cohort with a group of rare blood disorders known as myeloproliferative neoplasms, or MPNs. Within months of reaching that goal we began reporting our<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/novel-genetic-findings-for-myeloproliferative-neoplasms/"> new findings</a>. Among them were replications of known genetic associations with the disease as well as new ones including an association between these conditions and variants in the TERT and ATM genes.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6487 size-full" title="neanderthal_bones" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/neanderthal_bones.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="421" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/neanderthal_bones.jpg 350w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/neanderthal_bones-249x300.jpg 249w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />
5) &nbsp;New Insights into Human Origins and Evolution – Several different studies highlight ongoing research on our early ancestors and the evolution of modern humans. Beyond the compelling tale of our early ancestors, the journey out of African and the intermixing with Neanderthals and Denisovans, the new research also gives us insight into the<a href="https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/11/recent-human-evolution-2/"> significance of rare genetic variants</a>.
6) &nbsp;Family Medical and Genetics Used Together to Predict Disease – 23andMe <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/using-genetics-and-family-history-for-health/">developed a model</a> to show that both family history and genetic tests have strengths in predicting disease risks, but when used together they provide the best predictor for disease.
&nbsp;7) &nbsp;Older Dads’ Biological Clocks – For a long time prospective fathers could wile away the years without much worry about when to have kids, while prospective moms were constantly checking their ticking biological clocks.<a href="https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v488/n7412/full/nature11396.html"> A study</a> may turn the tables a bit, pushing men to think a little more about how long they wait to start a family. The study says that as men grow older the number of de novo mutations they<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/for-older-dads/"> pass onto their children increases</a>, and preliminary studies suggest that the more de novo mutations passed onto a child the higher the risk that child could develop certain types of conditions, such as autism and schizophrenia. That said becoming a dad can actually be good for you. There’s evidence linking <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/ah-fatherhood-dirty-diapers-skinned-knees-and-healthier-hearts/">fatherhood to healthier hearts.</a>
8) &nbsp;Breast Size Matters, But Not How You Think – Researchers at 23andMe found that genetic factors influence breast size and that in turn these factors are connected to the genetics of breast cancer.
&nbsp;9) &nbsp;New Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis – &nbsp;Early in 2012 the FDA approved ivacaftor (Kalydeco ®) as a new treatment for cystic fibrosis, one of the most common recessively inherited diseases. The drug<a href="https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444024204578046911440223842.html?mod=WSJ_TechInnovationAwards1012_MiddleSecondSummaries%20."> developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc</a>. is the first treatment that targets one of the underlying causes of cystic fibrosis – a specific genetic mutation – rather than its symptoms.
10) &nbsp;Autism Study Reveals No Genetic Associations – It may be strange to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/autism-study-reveals-no-genetic-associations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">point to a study that finds no genetic associations</a>, but sometimes an absence of evidence can hint toward new routes of study. Cases of Autism spectrum disorders – which run the gamut from mild to severe impairment and include autism, Asperger syndrome and other disorders – have become increasingly common in the U.S. Why that is, is not so easy to discern. The lack of an association doesn’t mean that genetics isn’t important. In fact twin studies suggest that autism is at least moderately heritable, but it may be that genetic variations play a smaller role than rare mutations or copy number variation in the risk of a person developing autism.

Top Genetic Findings of 2012

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17071 size-full" title="Canadian Flag" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/iStock_000013180750XSmall.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="282" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/iStock_000013180750XSmall.jpg 425w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/iStock_000013180750XSmall-300x199.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px" />
You’ve got to love the lead sentence of the<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/would-you-make-your-dna-and-health-data-public-if-it-may-help-cure-disease/article6090038/?page=all"> Daily Globe and Mail story</a> about the launch of a Canadian Genome Project:
“Jill Davies is Canuck One.”
<h2>Genome Canada</h2>
Ms. Davies is the first of what researchers hope will be 100,000 people to join the<a href="http://personalgenomes.ca/"> Personal Genome Project in Canada</a>.
Like its counterpart in the United States, which was started in 2005 by Harvard’s George Church, the Canadian effort aims to create a public and mostly anonymous database of sequenced individuals. (Prof. Church is also on 23andMe’s scientific advisory board.)
North Americans aren’t the only ones building databases to fuel scientific breakthroughs. A similar program is expected to launch in Britain next year, while the<a href="http://www.genomics.cn/en/navigation/show_navigation?nid=5658"> Beijing Genomics Institute</a> wants to sequence a million people in China. Another effort exists to sequence 100 Arabs in Saudi Arabia as well.
<h2>Personal Genome Project</h2>
The Personal Genome Project in the US has already become an essential reference data source for researchers, including scientists here at 23andMe. The reference data has become instrumental in the development of genomic medicine. Still, the data has also helped advance our understanding of basic human biology and the origins of modern humans.
Stephen W. Scherer, the director of a $100 million genomic-medicine institute at the University of Toronto, spearheads the Personal Genome Project—Canada. Like in the US, the hope in Canada is that over time, as the costs for full-genome sequencing continue to fall, sequencing will become more common, and the growing database will fuel future discoveries.
<h2>Full Genome Sequencing Era</h2>
23andMe is also<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/?p=16963"> working towards</a> the era of full-genome sequencing. Right now, 23andMe offers genotyping, which looks at about a million points, or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in a person’s genome to glean health and ancestry information, rather than the entire sequence.
But in the last year or two, we’ve worked on several sequencing projects, including our Exome Pilot and a project that sequences individuals with rare mutations associated with Parkinson’s disease.
In contrast to genotyping, sequencing is a method used to determine the exact sequence of a certain length of DNA. You can sequence a short piece, the whole genome, or parts of the genome  – such as the “exome,” the part formed by exons, the coding portions of our genes. These provide the blueprint for the creation of proteins.
Depending on the location, a given locus may include some DNA that varies between individuals, like SNPs, and regions with little or no variation. Thus, sequencing can be used to genotype someone for known variants and identify variants that may be unique to that person. Finally, whereas genotyping requires upfront targeting of precise base pairs, sequencing only involves targeting the locus or the genomic region and, therefore, can discover additional genetic variation.
<h2>The Power of Big Data</h2>
Unfortunately, sequencing technology has not yet progressed to the point where it is feasible to sequence an entire person’s genome quickly and cheaply.
It took the Human Genome Project over 10 years of work by multiple labs to sequence the whole genomes of just a few individuals to the tune of almost three billion dollars. But it is getting cheap enough that projects like the Personal Genome Project are setting their sights on sequencing hundreds of thousands or even millions of people. Combined with information about people’s health and traits, these huge data sets are poised to transform medical research in the years to come.

DNA, Eh – Canadian Genome Project in the News

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17038 size-full" title="Mike &amp; Eric" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric.jpg" alt="" width="1721" height="1190" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric.jpg 1721w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric-300x207.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric-768x531.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric-1024x708.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric-880x608.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Mike-Eric-1180x816.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1721px) 100vw, 1721px" />Mike and Eric
Our team rolled out a new feature called<a href="https://www.23andme.com/about/press/ancestry_composition_2012"> Ancestry Composition</a> last week that will tell you more about what you’re made of, or more precisely, the geographic origins of your DNA.
Principal Product Scientist Mike Macpherson, former Research Scientist Chuong “Tom” Do, and Computational Biologist Eric Durand led the team that spent many months developing an innovative and accurate tool to determine your ancestry going as far back as 500 years.
One of the stunning aspects of Ancestry Composition is that it&#8217;s based on the newest advances in machine learning and thus will get better over time.
“Ancestry Composition is truly innovative. Not only does it use public-genetic databases for reference, it also uses the data set from 23andMe, so as more people join 23andMe, the more powerful and more accurate Ancestry Composition will become,” Mike said.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17039 size-full" title="European and Native American Ancestry" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Native-American.jpg" alt="" width="807" height="468" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Native-American.jpg 807w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Native-American-300x174.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Native-American-768x445.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px" />
The feature can very accurately detail the mosaic of your ancestral background, distinguishing British and Irish ancestry, for instance, or telling you the breakdown of your Scandinavian or Italian ancestral origins. It’s also a powerful tool for finding Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
Right now, Ancestry Composition is particularly interesting for people of mixed ancestry: individuals who have Native American, Latino, African American or mixed European heritage.
It’s a great tool already and promises to keep getting better.
An update is planned in the near future to add more detail for people with African and Asian ancestry.
This will give a finer level of detail and help customers zero in on the regions of their ancestral origins.
But the feature can be enlightening for people of any background offering a view of an individual’s genetic ancestry, breaking down the mix of ancestry by percentage and putting it all into an intuitive visualization.
There are several other bells and whistles for those who want to dive in and find a few fun surprises.
One of those is the Split View, which gives great detail for customers who have at least one parent also in the 23andMe community. If at least one parent has been tested and is linked through the Family Tree feature, Ancestry Composition’s Split View will tell you what mix of your ancestry comes from your mother and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">what mix of your ancestry</a> comes from your father.
Another add-on to the feature is a Chromosome View, which “paints” the ancestry on each of your 23 chromosomes.
If you’d like to see more detail on how this has done you can look both at a<a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry_composition_guide/"> white paper</a> put together by Mike or a recent<a href="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/20121027_ancestry_painting_methods_poster.pdf"> poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics</a>, which outlines the technique.
The new feature replaces 23andMe’s “ancestry painting” and “global similarity,” two tools that were equally pioneering when they were first introduced.
But with Ancestry Composition 23andMe breaks new ground and sets a new standard for determining genetic ancestry.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-17041 size-full" title="split view" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view.jpg" alt="" width="1744" height="911" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view.jpg 1744w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view-768x401.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view-880x460.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/split-view-1180x616.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1744px) 100vw, 1744px" />

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