January/February 2019^ DISCOVER^39
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
It’s All Relative
Computational biologists have created
the largest family tree ever, packed with a
whopping 13 million people — including
Kevin Bacon — over five centuries.
Reporting in March in Science, researchers
used public genealogy profiles to assemble
the massive pedigree. They found longevity
is probably less genetically determined than
previously thought. But the tree’s real utility
may be yet to come. Adding genetic and
health information could reveal much more
about what causes certain diseases.Protein Therapy
Goes in Utero
For the first time, doctors used a drug
to treat a genetic disease before birth.
People with XLHED can overheat
because they lack a protein critical for
sweat gland development. In an April
study, doctors in Germany, Switzerland
and the U.S. described flagging three
fetuses as having the inherited disorder.
By injecting the missing protein into
the amniotic sac at the right time in the
fetuses’ development, the doctors restored
the trio’s ability to sweat.
Researchers say the technique could
be adapted for other conditions, such as
some forms of facial clefts.FURTHER AFIELD
but to a potential distant relative,
whom they may not even know.
Some legal scholars have
questioned if law enforcement
is allowed to search those
commercial databases without
a warrant. Right now, they can.
But I think the laws on all kinds
of databases are still evolving.
Colorado, for example, has passed
a law that says how, and for what
purposes, police can use the state
forensic database.I suspect a large number
of people would be very
excited and supportive of law
enforcement being able to access
these databases to identify
violent criminals. But they may
not be as enthusiastic about
using this information to identify
suspects of more petty crime,
like car theft or drug trafficking.Q
Before investigators
arrested DeAngelo, they
had used the same method
to track down someone who
ended up not being a match.
How big of a problem are
these kinds of false leads?A
There is a risk of there
being a false lead with
this strategy. You’re basically
matching people from these
databases to relatives, and
the further out you go,
genetically, the less of a match
it is. This could lead to law
enforcement asking for DNA of
people who had nothing to do
with the crime.Q
What should consumers
be aware of before they
spit in a tube and send their
DNA to a company?A
They need to read carefully
the privacy policies and
the terms of service of these
companies. Most of us skim
through those very tiny-lettered,
legalese types of things when
we’re signing up for different
products and services. But
they’re important. They tell you
the extent to which your privacy
will be protected, and the
mechanisms used.Our family tree