According to media reports, a so-called "DNA blind date" is now popular in Japan. Single men and women can find a suitable partner by only carrying out a "HLA gene" test, regardless of age, occupation and income. Recently, with the hot news of the first human gene editing fetus, gene has become a hot topic again. As we all know, genes carry biological genetic information, which determines appearance and even health status. However, is it a false marketing propaganda or a scientific fact to find love through genetic testing?
DNA dating test reported by Japanese news (NHK TV station)
Human beings still know a little about genes
As early as 2005, the sequencing work of the Human Genome Project was basically completed. Scientists determined the 6 billion pairs of nucleotide sequences contained in human chromosomes for the first time, thus mapping the human genome. This is a milestone victory. However, this is just the beginning of human exploration of genes.
Genes are actually segments of DNA sequences with specific functions. To be specific, the essence of these DNA sequences is the arrangement and combination of four nucleotides (code names are A, T, C, G). If you just look at the result of gene sequencing, it is actually a random script made up of four letters of ATCG. It is impossible for scientists to read their roles and meanings directly from gene sequences with the naked eye. What's the use of each gene? These problems need to be solved bit by bit through a huge amount of basic experiments.
An example of a gene sequence. The letters represent different kinds of nucleotides. These sequences are meaningless without decoding
Obviously, these deciphering tasks take time. So far, people's understanding of genes has remained at a very superficial level. At present, oncogenes related to tumor are the most studied. There are two reasons behind this. First, cancer is a global health threat, and there are a large number of scientists studying cancer with sufficient funds; 2、 It is relatively simple to study carcinogenic genes: because carcinogenic genes are often "domineering", one gene often corresponds to one carcinogenic consequence.
In contrast, other genes that people care about are not so simple. For example, there are many genes that can affect height, but the relationship between them is too complex. How and how the specific gene works is a messy account. When scientists have not yet fully understood the role of genes, the significance of gene testing is limited. Because after spending a lot of money to get the sequencing result, it is only a large segment of nucleotide sequence that can not be decoded after all.
Exaggerated gene testing
Having said that, genetic testing does have some practical applications. As just mentioned, gene detection plays an important role in tumor research. Nowadays, the most sophisticated targeted therapy and immunotherapy for tumor treatment require detection of some gene expression in patients to predict whether the treatment will be effective, thus saving time and medical costs. In addition, people have also found some single disease causing genes, such as the thalassemia gene, which can be screened to prevent the next generation from getting sick.
However, the use of gene detection basically ends there, and is limited to disease prediction and treatment. Nowadays, the gene testing projects vigorously promoted in the market are basically exaggerations. Gene testing has not developed to the extent that it can test personality, children's talent, or even love.
In the DNA dating test popular in Japan, a gene named "HLA" is used. These dating agencies claim that the more "compatible" people with HLA genes are, the more likely they are to become the perfect spouse with tacit understanding. It sounds mysterious, but in fact, everyone must have heard of the role of this gene. Before bone marrow transplantation, the matching to be done is actually the detection of HLA gene. This gene is closely related to the human immune system. The more similar the gene is, the less rejection of transplantation will occur.
HLA gene detection and matching is a very simple operation, and the technical content is not high
The HLA gene has nothing to do with love at all. Such farfetched interpretation is like saying that "the more similar the fingerprints of two people are, the easier it is to become a tacit partner". If the HLA gene can really predict love, why don't transplant agencies take a part-time job as a matchmaker? The closer the blood relationship is, the higher the compatibility probability of HLA genes will be, which is why the family members often try to match the HLA genes before transplantation; If the more similar the HLA gene is, the more likely it is to have love, then the subtext is to praise the marriage of close relatives?
An HLA matching result, parents hope to screen a suitable embryo to save the sick older child (i.e. the proband in the figure)
The so-called DNA dating and genetic testing for finding partners are nothing but gimmicks to cheat people. Even if scientists really decipher the full meaning of genes one day, it is impossible to use genes to predict love. Genes are the congenital conditions configured when the fertilized egg is formed, but what a person will eventually grow into, what kind of personality, preferences and pursuits will also be affected by acquired factors and life experiences. Love is a complex emotion with hundreds of millions of possibilities and rapid changes, and it is impossible to predict it with several gene sequences. The person who concocted this gene detection scam not only does not understand genes, but also does not understand love.
