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Happy Tuesday!
Ever wish you had better genetics? Worried about your family's history of illness? While you can't change your genes (yet), you can actually improve them.
Over the past two decades the cost of sequencing the human genome has fallen at an astounding rate. In 2001 it cost about $100 million to sequence a single human's entire genome. By 2021 that cost had fallen to less than $1 thousand dollars and it continues to get faster and cheaper every year. [1]
Seriously, that's bananas.
Because the cost of sequencing has dropped so much, scientists have been able to produce loads of new research and draw connections between our genetic makeup and our risk of disease. The whole promise of precision medicine is that by analyzing a patient's genome, doctors can develop highly targeted drugs and treatments for specific individuals. In addition, a number of startups and consumer business have begun offering products and services based on your genetic traits.
While the genetic revolution has been both exciting and very promising there's a nuance to the story which has, until recently, been somewhat overlooked.
Barring genetic editing technologies like CRISPR you cannot change your DNA. They are fixed at birth and inherited from your parents. You're stuck with your dad's nose for better or worse.
But ...
There's actually a lot of variance in the ways in which your genes are expressed. This phenomenon is called epigenetics.
Your genes are not a death sentence (or an insurance policy). This is because they are not fixed in the sense that we usually think of them. While your genes don't change, the way in which your cells interact with them is greatly impacted by external factors, some of which you can control.
If you remember from high school biology there are two types of genetic material in every cell, DNA and RNA.
DNA is the source material. It has the double helix shape and is stored in the nucleus of the cell. RNA on the other hand are copies of DNA which are used to create proteins outside of the nucleus. These proteins determine how your body functions.
While ALL of your DNA lives in the nucleus of every cell, only some parts of your DNA are copied into RNA and therefore expressed in your cells.
The implications of this is that you could have genes that sit in every cell in your body that literally do nothing. Similarly, you can have genes which are only partially expressed meaning that your cells have made it easier or more difficult for RNA copies to be made.
Every strand of DNA is wrapped around special proteins called histones. These histones help to protect and store the DNA but they also contain various receptors which can bind to small carbon molecules called acetyl groups.
Depending on which acetyl groups are present on a histone, certain strands of DNA are more or less likely to be activated through RNA transcription.
Here's where things get interesting ...
There is a class of enzymes which add and remove these acetyl groups from histones called deacetylases and acetyltransferases.
Often these enzymes need an activating chemical to work.
This means that the presence or absence of that activating chemical becomes a molecular signal to change the volume on a given gene or set of genes.
Depending on your behavior, you can actually produce the conditions necessary to generate more or less of these signaling molecules which impact gene expression.
One example of this phenomenon which has recently received a lot of attention is the molecule NAD+. While important for many things, NAD+ is required for a special class of genetic enzymes that control the activation of genes involved in aging. These enzymes are generally known as sirtuins.
The higher your NAD+ levels, the more efficiently your sirtuins can function and the longer your life. [2][3]
So how do you raise NAD+ levels?
Diet and exercise! [4]
I bet you thought there was going to be some wacky, secret technique? Nope.
While it's true that some companies have developed supplements for the precursors to NAD+ so you can, theoretically, raise your NAD+ levels exogenously, it turns out that just doing the basics also turns on the healthy aging genes.
Who would have thought we knew the answer all along ...
The good news is that yes, it's actually possible to improve your genetic health, prevent some kinds of genetic illness, and slow aging. The bad news is that you may have to put in a little effort :)
Have a great week!
Nick