The Multiple Meanings of Jewish Genes

This article addresses contemporary social challenges created by new genetic research on Jews and by Jews, and its implications for the meanings of Jewish identity, on both the individual and the collective levels. The article begins with a brief overview of selective genetic studies of Jewish populations and the controversies they have generated. It continues with an examination of the emerging field of Jewish genetic demography, which employs genetic tests to identify lineages, claim kin, and support Jewish historical and political claims. Here the article explores how Jewish genetic demographers interpret genetic studies to reinforce oral tradition and Biblical prophecy about the origins of the Jews and their experience in the Diaspora. This research is then juxtaposed with debates that emerge from contemporary rabbinic deliberations over the appropriate uses of new reproductive technologies, debates that, contrary to the assertions of Jewish genetic demographers, suggest genes are believed to possess limited ability to confer or create Jewishness in the traditional rabbinic imagination. In the final section of this article, a debate is staged about contemporary biomedical practices that allow for the exchange and transfer of body parts and bodily substances, as a strategy for challenging genetic notions of Jewish identity.     

Abraham's Children in the Genome Era: Major Jewish Diaspora Populations Comprise Distinct Genetic Clusters with Shared Middle Eastern Ancestry

For more than a century, Jews and non-Jews alike have tried to define the relatedness of contemporary Jewish people. Previous genetic studies of blood group and serum markers suggested that Jewish groups had Middle Eastern origin with greater genetic similarity between paired Jewish populations. However, these and successor studies of monoallelic Y chromosomal and mitochondrial genetic markers did not resolve the issues of within and between-group Jewish genetic identity. Here, genome-wide analysis of seven Jewish groups (Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian, Italian, Turkish, Greek, and Ashkenazi) and comparison with non-Jewish groups demonstrated distinctive Jewish population clusters, each with shared Middle Eastern ancestry, proximity to contemporary Middle Eastern populations, and variable degrees of European and North African admixture. Two major groups were identified by principal component, phylogenetic, and identity by descent (IBD) analysis: Middle Eastern Jews and European/Syrian Jews. The IBD segment sharing and the proximity of European Jews to each other and to southern European populations suggested similar origins for European Jewry and refuted large-scale genetic contributions of Central and Eastern European and Slavic populations to the formation of Ashkenazi Jewry. Rapid decay of IBD in Ashkenazi Jewish genomes was consistent with a severe bottleneck followed by large expansion, such as occurred with the so-called demographic miracle of population expansion from 50,000 people at the beginning of the 15^th century to 5,000,000 people at the beginning of the 19^th century. Thus, this study demonstrates that European/Syrian and Middle Eastern Jews represent a series of geographical isolates or clusters woven together by shared IBD genetic threads.     

Implications for health and disease in the genetic signature of the Ashkenazi Jewish population

Background

Relatively small, reproductively isolated populations with reduced genetic diversity may have advantages for genomewide association mapping in disease genetics. The Ashkenazi Jewish population represents a unique population for study based on its recent (< 1,000 year) history of a limited number of founders, population bottlenecks and tradition of marriage within the community. We genotyped more than 1,300 Ashkenazi Jewish healthy volunteers from the Hebrew University Genetic Resource with the Illumina HumanOmni1-Quad platform. Comparison of the genotyping data with that of neighboring European and Asian populations enabled the Ashkenazi Jewish-specific component of the variance to be characterized with respect to disease-relevant alleles and pathways.

Results

Using clustering, principal components, and pairwise genetic distance as converging approaches, we identified an Ashkenazi Jewish-specific genetic signature that differentiated these subjects from both European and Middle Eastern samples. Most notably, gene ontology analysis of the Ashkenazi Jewish genetic signature revealed an enrichment of genes functioning in transepithelial chloride transport, such as CFTR, and in equilibrioception, potentially shedding light on cystic fibrosis, Usher syndrome and other diseases over-represented in the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Results also impact risk profiles for autoimmune and metabolic disorders in this population. Finally, residual intra-Ashkenazi population structure was minimal, primarily determined by class 1 MHC alleles, and not related to host country of origin.

Conclusions

The Ashkenazi Jewish population is of potential utility in disease-mapping studies due to its relative homogeneity and distinct genomic signature. Results suggest that Ashkenazi-associated disease genes may be components of population-specific genomic differences in key functional pathways.     

Constructing black Jews: genetic tests and the Lemba--the 'black Jews' of South Africa

This commentary examines the use of Y-chromosome testing to reconstruct a genetic ancestry for the Lemba, a group in southern Africa that has long considered itself Jewish. The commentary looks especially at the reasons why this project drew such attention from the mainstream media.     

The North Shore-Long Island Jewish Research Institute

The North Shore-Long Island Jewish Research Institute is directed by Nicholas Chiorazzi, MD. It provides investigators from a variety of scientific fields and backgrounds with the opportunity to focus on disease-oriented medical research. The goal of the institute is to understand the underlying biological processes of disease and ultimately to develop new and more effective therapies for patients. The affiliation with the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and its patients provides a unique opportunity for focused biomedical and translational research.     

遗传多样性与外来物种的成功入侵: 现状和展望

遗传多样性被认为是影响外来种入侵成功的重要因素之一。研究表明, 尽管外来种在入侵过程中可能受到奠基者效应的影响, 但是多次引种、种内或种间杂交等过程使得许多外来种在引入地的遗传多样性水平未必会显著低于原产地, 从而使得外来种可能通过快速进化来适应引入地的新生境。然而, 高水平的遗传多样性并非成功入侵的必要条件, 遗传变异的匮乏对一些外来种的入侵能力没有明显的影响, 甚至在一些生物入侵案例中, 遗传多样性的降低反而促进了入侵成功。针对遗传多样性与入侵成功之间的复杂关系, 本文在评述外来种遗传多样性的研究现状的基础上, 分析了遗传多样性对外来种的短期入侵成功和长期进化的影响机制, 从方法角度探讨了目前研究中存在的若干问题, 并对如何推进入侵生态学研究提出了一些看法。正如一些学者提出的, 入侵生态学需要与生态学其他分支整合起来, 才能加深对生物入侵及其相关的生态和进化过程的理解。     

The genetic history of Cochin Jews from India

Cochin Jews form a small and unique community on the Malabar coast in southwest India. While the arrival time of any putative Jewish ancestors of the community has been speculated to have taken place as far back as biblical times (King Solomon’s era), a Jewish community in the Malabar coast has been documented only since the 9th century CE. Here, we explore the genetic history of Cochin Jews by collecting and genotyping 21 community members and combining the data with that of 707 individuals from 72 other Indian, Jewish, and Pakistani populations, together with additional individuals from worldwide populations. We applied comprehensive genome-wide analyses based on principal component analysis, F _ST, ADMIXTURE, identity-by-descent sharing, admixture linkage disequilibrium decay, haplotype sharing, allele sharing autocorrelation decay and contrasting the X chromosome with the autosomes. We find that, as reported by several previous studies, the genetics of Cochin Jews resembles that of local Indian populations. However, we also identify considerable Jewish genetic ancestry that is not present in any other Indian or Pakistani populations (with the exception of the Jewish Bene Israel, which we characterized previously). Combined, Cochin Jews have both Jewish and Indian ancestry. Specifically, we detect a significant recent Jewish gene flow into this community 13–22 generations (~470–730 years) ago, with contributions from Yemenite, Sephardi, and Middle-Eastern Jews, in accordance with historical records. Genetic analyses also point to high endogamy and a recent population bottleneck in this population, which might explain the increased prevalence of some recessive diseases in Cochin Jews.     

Understanding the establishment success of non-indigenous fishes: lessons from population genetics

During the last 10 years, an increasing number of studies have explored evolutionary aspects of biological invasions. It is becoming increasingly clear that evolutionary processes play an important role during the establishment of non-native species. Genetic drift during the colonization process followed by strong selection imposed through a change in biotic conditions and co-evolutionary disequilibrium set the conditions for rapid evolutionary change in introduced populations. Different hypotheses, which have been proposed to explain how evolutionary and genetic processes, can facilitate invasiveness are explored and their relevance for fish invasions is discussed. Empirical evidence increasingly suggests that admixture after multiple introductions, hybridization between native and non-native species and enemy release can all catalyse the evolution of invasiveness. A number of studies also suggest that genetic bottlenecks might represent less of genetic paradox than previously thought. Much of the theoretical developments and empirical evidence concerning the importance of evolution during biological invasions has been provided from studies on invasive plants. Despite their prominence, fish invasions have received little attention from evolutionary biologists. Recent advances in population genetic analysis such as non-equilibrium methods and genomic techniques such as microarray technology provide suitable tools to address such issues.     

Molecular systematics and population genetics of biological invasions: towards a better understanding of invasive species management

The study of population genetics of invasive species offers opportunities to investigate rapid evolutionary processes at work, and while the ecology of biological invasions has enjoyed extensive attention in the past, the recentness of molecular techniques makes their application in invasion ecology a fairly new approach. Despite this, molecular biology has already proved powerful in inferring aspects not only relevant to the evolutionary biologist but also to those concerned with invasive species management. Here, we review the different molecular markers routinely used in such studies and their application(s) in addressing different questions in invasion ecology. We then review the current literature on molecular genetic studies aimed at improving management and the understanding of invasive species by resolving of taxonomic issues, elucidating geographical sources of invaders, detecting hybridisation and introgression, tracking dispersal and spread and assessing the importance of genetic diversity in invasion success. Finally, we make some suggestions for future research efforts in molecular ecology of biological invasions.     

Memories and traces. From Jewish exilists' authoritarian personality research via Cloninger's psychobiology of personality traits to a neurobiological approach to conflict management

Research on personality as a useful construct to understand people's behavior in conflict situations was traced over more than fifty years, and an attempt was made to add neurobiological parameters to psycho-socio-cultural approaches. As a starting point, scientists in exile have been called to mind who had been expelled from Nazi Germany for their Jewish origins. Among them were Adorno and Frenkel-Brunswik whose extensive studies on the authoritarian personality structure were quoted. In their work, personality was defined as a more or less enduring organisation of forces within the individual helping to determine responses in various situations, which is responsible for consistency in behavior. As a next step, Cloninger's psychobiology of personality traits was presented. In his personality concept, four temperamental traits (novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependency and persistence) and three character dimensions are included. Temperamental traits are heritable, developmentally stable, emotionally based, uninfluenced by social learning, and linked to specific brain biological features. The temperaments have a certain neuroendocrinological feature which can be determined. Character dimensions develop in a stagelike process from infancy to adulthood and are influenced by temperament, social learning, genetic factors, and random life events. Personality is still considered a useful theoretical approach to conflict management research and practice. A neurobiological point of view seems to be a useful supplementation in addition to traditional psycho-socio-cultural approaches. Measuring biological compounds can supply the conflict manager with an additional tool of knowledge enhancing the ability to understand and anticipate conflict behavior.     

Immunoglobulin allotypes in Jewish populations living in Israel and the United States

The ongoing interest in the interrelationships of Jewish populations justifies inclusion of the immunoglobulin allotypes in an ethnohistorical analysis. A total of 2,184 serum specimens obtained from unrelated Israeli Jewish and self-identified Milwaukee, WI, Jewish blood donors were classified as Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Asiatic, or North African and tested for G1m (a, x, z, and f), G3m (b0, b1, b3, b5, g), A2m (1 and 2), and Km (1). Selected sera were also tested for G3m (s, t, c3, c5). The estimated maximum likelihood Gm-Am haplotype frequencies were used in a heterogeneity chi-square analysis. The results indicate that there is less heterogeneity within Jewish populations from Europe, Middle East, and North Africa than in corresponding non-Jewish populations representing the same geographical areas. In order to avoid the hazards of a univariate focus, previously published data were incorporated into two additional analyses: 15 populations with information on 16 genetic loci and 24 populations with information on five genetic loci. Both sets of data were analyzed using principal-components and cluster analysis. In both sets of analyses, with the exception of the Yemenite Jews, Jewish populations grouped together. These analyses support the belief that Jewish populations appear to be derived from a common gene pool, and there has been some genetic drift and minimal gene flow with surrounding populations.     

Phylogeographic analysis of paternal lineages in NE Portuguese Jewish communities

The establishment of Jewish communities in the territory of contemporary Portugal is archaeologically documented since the 3rd century CE, but their settlement in Trás‐os‐Montes (NE Portugal) has not been proved before the 12th century. The Decree of Expulsion followed by the establishment of the Inquisition, both around the beginning of the 16th century, accounted for a significant exodus, as well as the establishment of crypto‐Jewish communities. Previous Y chromosome studies have shown that different Jewish communities share a common origin in the Near East, although they can be quite heterogeneous as a consequence of genetic drift and different levels of admixture with their respective host populations. To characterize the genetic composition of the Portuguese Jewish communities from Trás‐os‐Montes, we have examined 57 unrelated Jewish males, with a high‐resolution Y‐chromosome typing strategy, comprising 16 STRs and 23 SNPs. A high lineage diversity was found, at both haplotype and haplogroup levels (98.74 and 82.83%, respectively), demonstrating the absence of either strong drift or founder effects. A deeper and more detailed investigation is required to clarify how these communities avoided the expected inbreeding caused by over four centuries of religious repression. Concerning haplogroup lineages, we detected some admixture with the Western European non‐Jewish populations (R1b1b2‐M269, ～28%), along with a strong ancestral component reflecting their origin in the Middle East [J1(xJ1a‐M267), ～12%; J2‐M172, ～25%; T‐M70, ～16%] and in consequence Trás‐os‐Montes Jews were found to be more closely related with other Jewish groups, rather than with the Portuguese non‐Jewish population. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Social neuroscience and its potential contribution to psychiatry

Most mental disorders involve disruptions of normal social behavior. Social neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field devoted to understanding the biological systems underlying social processes and behavior, and the influence of the social environment on biological processes, health and well‐being. Research in this field has grown dramatically in recent years. Active areas of research include brain imaging studies in normal children and adults, animal models of social behavior, studies of stroke patients, imaging studies of psychiatric patients, and research on social determinants of peripheral neural, neuroendocrine and immunological processes. Although research in these areas is proceeding along largely independent trajectories, there is increasing evidence for connections across these trajectories. We focus here on the progress and potential of social neuroscience in psychiatry, including illustrative evidence for a rapid growth of neuroimaging and genetic studies of mental disorders. We also argue that neuroimaging and genetic research focused on specific component processes underlying social living is needed.     

The application of genetic approaches for investigations of mycorrhizal symbioses

Genetic analyses of mycorrhizal symbioses have been far less common to date than molecular biological investigations. This review aims to address the problem that genetic research approaches are some of the least familiar to non specialists by providing some detailed explanations of the requirements and processes involved, including concepts of genetic variation and genetic mapping. Each section includes examples of research progress which is restricted to studies of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) symbioses. Most such research has focussed on AM hosts or EcM fungi. For AM hosts, some early work on natural genetic variation has not been exploited yet, but new research with barley and clover will enable genetic mapping of mycorrhizal associated QTLs for the first time. EcM fungal studies have shown a genetic basis for mycorrhizal capacity and quantitative genetic differences in mycorrhizal capacity. Some recent work with EcM hosts has begun genetic mapping of QTLs associated with mycorrhizal status. Most AM genetic research has focussed on analysis of nodulation-defective mutants for their AM host status. Map-based cloning and characterisation of the first genes shown by these analyses to be essential for establishment of both nodulation and mycorrhizal symbioses are anticipated shortly. Comparisons with molecular and genetic research on plant disease resistance genes and signalling pathways may prove useful as those studies are more advanced and underlying biochemical and evolutionary relationships are likely to exist.     

吸烟对男性生殖和遗传毒性的研究进展

吸烟作为一个社会问题受到广泛关注,目前研究认为吸烟可对生殖系统存在有害影响。从吸烟对睾丸功能、精液质量、生殖内分泌功能的影响及吸烟对生殖细胞的遗传毒作用几个方面,总结了近几年国内外有关吸烟对男性生殖与遗传毒性研究进展,为进一步研究吸烟的生殖毒性提供参考。     

Beetling around the genome

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, has been selected for whole genome shotgun sequencing in the next year. In this minireview, we discuss some of the genetic and genomic tools and biological properties of Tribolium that have established its importance as an organism for agricultural and biomedical research as well as for studies of development and evolution. A Tribolium genomic database, Beetlebase, is being constructed to integrate genetic, genomic and biological data as it becomes available.     

Psychiatric genetics: progress amid controversy

Several psychiatric disorders--such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism--are highly heritable, yet identifying their genetic basis has been challenging, with most discoveries failing to be replicated. However, inroads have been made by the incorporation of intermediate traits (endophenotypes) and of environmental factors into genetic analyses, and through the identification of rare inherited variants and novel structural mutations. Current efforts aim to increase sample sizes by gathering larger samples for case-control studies or through meta-analyses of such studies. More attention on unique families, rare variants, and on incorporating environment and the emerging knowledge of biological function and pathways into genetic analysis is warranted.     

Biotic homogenization: a new research agenda for conservation biogeography

Aim Biotic homogenization describes the process by which species invasions and extinctions increase the genetic, taxonomic or functional similarity of two or more biotas over a specified time interval. The study of biotic homogenization is a young and rapidly emerging research area in the budding field of conservation biogeography, and this paper aims to synthesize our current knowledge of this process and advocate a more systematic approach to its investigation. Methods Based on a comprehensive examination of the primary literature this paper reviews the process of biotic homogenization, including its definition, quantification, underlying ecological mechanisms, environmental drivers, the empirical evidence for different taxonomic groups, and the potential ecological and evolutionary implications. Important gaps in our knowledge are then identified, and areas of new research that show the greatest promise for advancing our current thinking on biotic homogenization are highlighted. Results Current knowledge of the patterns, mechanisms and implications of biotic homogenization is highly variable across taxonomic groups, but in general is incomplete. Quantitative estimates are almost exclusively limited to freshwater fishes and plants in the United States, and the principal mechanisms and drivers of homogenization remain elusive. To date research has focused on taxonomic homogenization, and genetic and functional homogenization has received inadequate attention. Trends over the past decade, however, suggest that biotic homogenization is emerging as a topic of greater research interest. Main conclusions My investigation revealed a number of important knowledge gaps and priority research needs in the science of biotic homogenization. Future studies should examine the homogenization process for different community properties (species occurrence and abundance) at multiple spatial and temporal scales, with careful attention paid to the various biological mechanisms (invasions vs. extinctions) and environmental drivers (environmental alteration vs. biotic interactions) involved. Perhaps most importantly, this research should recognize that there are multiple possible outcomes resulting from the accumulation of species invasions and extinctions, including biotic differentiation whereby genetic, taxonomic or functional similarity of biotas decreases over time.     

Synthetic lethal interactions for the development of cancer therapeutics: biological and methodological advancements

Synthetic lethal interaction is defined as a combination of two mutations that is lethal when present in the same cell; each individual mutation is non-lethal. Synthetic lethal interactions attract attention in cancer research fields since the discovery of synthetic lethal genes with either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) provides novel cancer therapeutic targets. Due to the selective lethal effect on cancer cells harboring specific genetic alterations, it is expected that targeting synthetic lethal genes would provide wider therapeutic windows compared with cytotoxic chemotherapeutics. Here, we review the current status of the application of synthetic lethal screening in cancer research fields from biological and methodological viewpoints. Very recent studies seeking to identify synthetic lethal genes with K-RAS and p53, which are known to be the most frequently occurring oncogenes and TSGs, respectively, are introduced. Among the accumulating amount of research on synthetic lethal interactions, the synthetic lethality between BRCA1/2 and PARP1 inhibition has been clinically proven. Thus, both preclinical and clinical data showing a preferential anti-tumor effect on BRCA1/2 deficient tumors by a PARP1 inhibitor are the best examples of the synthetic lethal approach of cancer therapeutics. Finally, methodological progress regarding synthetic lethal screening, including barcode shRNA screening and in vivo synthetic lethal screening, is described. Given the fact that an increasing number of synthetic lethal genes for major cancerous genes have been validated in preclinical studies, this intriguing approach awaits clinical verification of preferential benefits for cancer patients with specific genetic alterations as a clear predictive factor for tumor response.     

Regulation of Gene Expression in Higher Plants

The study on regulation of gene expression in higher plants has attracted attention of many scientists and is also one of the major scientific research areas in modern biological studies. With advancement of the technology of genetic engineering, more and more details of gene regulation are revealed and it has been found that regulatory zones of most genes are located at the 5' upstream promoter regions. Now,the study on regulation of gene expression is mainly focused on light regulated genes, tissue specific genes, environmental stress induced genes, bormone-induced genes and so on. This article gives a more or less comprehensive review on the several aspects mentioned above.