Married couples with shared ancestry tend to have similar genes

Married couples tend to look alike for several reasons. One of them, new research shows, is the simple fact that married couples with common ancestry tend to share similar genes.

According to the study, published this week in the journal PLOS Genetics, the genetic similarities are enough to bias genome studies.

Researchers analyzed the genomes of three generations of Caucasian couples from the Framingham Heart Study, which began tracking the heart health of Framingham, Mass., residents in 1948. The analysis revealed significant selection bias among the 879 spousal pairs.

Study participants with Northern European, Southern European and Ashkenazi ancestry were likely to select a spouse with similar ancestry, though the selection bias diminished with each successive generation.

The analysis also showed the selection bias resulted in strong genetic similarities among couples. In other words, spouses with similar ancestry shared more genetic commonalities than couples without common ancestry.

Measuring biases created by "ancestral assortative mating" is important for genomic studies looking at disease heritability, researchers said in the study.

Great apes know when people are wrong: study
Miami (AFP) April 5, 2017
Orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos are the nearest relatives of humans in the primate world, and like us, they can tell when a person is wrong in their beliefs, researchers said Wednesday. Great apes were also willing to help a person who was mistaken about the location of an object, according to the study in the journal PLOS ONE. "This study shows for the first time that great apes can ... read more

Related Links
All About Human Beings and How We Got To Be Here

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only