Talk

Right on the tails of my last post comes ground-breaking news about identical twins: they don’t actually have identical genetics! (Darn close, but not 100% identical.)

A study by University of Alabama, Birmingham researchers challenges the long-held belief that identical twins have identical genetics. They compared the DNA of sets of twins and discovered significant copy number variation (or CNV).

…[S]ubstantial chunks of DNA sequences were missing, doubled or reversed in one of the two twins. Having chunks of DNA sequences shifted around or missing is a common genetic mutation. When first discovered, scientists thought it was inconsequential. Often it is, but researchers are beginning to learn that sometimes CNV can be a major factor in developing a disease. (more…)