Ancestry.com launched their genealogy company in 1983, allowing millions of people to research their family history.[1] Since that time, Ancestry.com and similar companies like 23andMe have added additional features. You can find out your entire genetic code by simply taking their saliva swab test. Within a few short weeks, you will receive your genealogical makeup and access to their social media account. This allows you to “match” with previous individuals who have taken the test to find your genetic connection. Although these tests seem intriguing, they leave out one crucial aspect: unexpected matches. Here’s my story on how my unexpected match changed my life.
How does it work?
For $99 you can mail in a saliva sample and, six weeks later, receive your 99.9% accurate DNA report.[2] Features of Ancestry.com and 23andMe saliva swab test include:
An ethnicity estimate
Updates of new DNA matchups as new information comes out
Social media connection to members who have already taken the test
Estimated relationship to matches (sister, aunt, great-grandma, etc.)
Regions in which your DNA is predominant
It Can Happen to Anyone
Here is a personal experience from my GKIS intern, Kaitlin. In December 2018 I got a phone call from my father. He was happier than usual, and I could tell he had important news to share. He told me he had taken the Ancestry DNA swab test and received a notification stating an estimated relationship – his previously unknown twenty-seven-year-old daughter!
At first, I felt devastated for a woman who had missed out on a relationship with her biological father. I realized how lucky I was to have had my father in my life. My father was really sick and at the end of his life. Meeting this new person meant incorporating her into one of the hardest moments of my family’s life.
The timeline of when she was born and when my parents got married was extremely close. The family was shocked. The news created problems between my parents at the end of his life.
My newly discovered sister had reached out to someone she thought was her father years prior to the discovery of my father and was brutally rejected. She was traumatized from his reaction. Once Ancestry DNA became popular, she decided to take the test to find the answer to this life-long identity question.
Upon learning the news, I felt obligated to encourage their relationship while also comforting my mom. I was confused and didn’t know how to react. I reached out to my new sister, but she seemed more interested in getting to know her biological father than getting involved with me.
That didn’t bother me as much as how she reacted when my dad passed away this year. After not talking to each other, despite several attempts to get to know her, she said some extremely hurtful things about what my father would’ve wanted and how I wasn’t fulfilling his final wishes. It seemed she thought her six months with my father meant more than my twenty-four years. It broke my heart and left me feeling resentful towards my biological sister. Now that my father is gone, I honestly just wish he never took the test.
That’s what they don’t warn you about before taking these tests. The possibility of finding the information you might not be ready for.
Why don’t they warn us?
Both 23andMe and Ancestry craft their advertising to intrigue and draw customers in. Their entire marketing strategy is solely focused on finding your genetic makeup and finding yourself. Ironically, you might find an entirely new person as well.
Absolutely nothing is said about the risky possibilities.
I couldn’t even find a warning in the “What to expect from AncestryDNA” post on Ancestry.com.[3] Identity can be fragile, and learning something as life altering and traumatic as an unexpected connection can change your entire life[4] One can only imagine how hard it must be for people to find out the parent that raised them isn’t actually their biological parent. There is also a possibility of finding out about infidelity or sexual assault. There was even a news story about a woman finding out that her biological father was her mother’s infertility specialist!
We at GKIS believe that these companies owe their customers more than they’re giving. Customers would be better served if there was a warning about the serious and potentially unintended psychological consequences of the information provided. Preparing customers for the unexpected at least offers an opportunity for making an informed opinion.
Online Support Groups
If you’ve had a psychological trauma resulting from DNA testing, you don’t have to go through it alone. There are several Facebook support groups available. For example, the NPE Friends Fellowship is an organization dedicated to people who have received answers they weren’t expecting.[5] The goals of these groups include receiving recognition and validation and finding a supportive community of people who understand and help each other heal. These groups allow the option of anonymity, along with a vulnerability backed by trust amongst peers who have experienced similar stories.
Families are complicated and so are the reasons behind family secrets. My family decided to handle this with open arms and offer support for my new sister. If something like this has happened to you or a friend, here are some options for you:
Stay calm and supportive.
Talk it out with your family members.
Join a Facebook support group.
Consult with a clinical psychologist like Dr. Bennett!
Remember your first pregnancy? Dreams of yummy baby smells, cozy snuggles, and planning that moment of introduction when you could count ten grasping fingers and ten wiggly toes? I even fantasized that my baby would have daddy’s eyes or my thick hair. Now imagine if you could make some of those fantasies happen on order, like a build-your-own baby with flawless looks and increased strength and intelligence? Perhaps you wouldn’t go THAT far, knowing that nature’s quirky combinations make up the charm of who we are. But what if, while worrying about all the challenges of conception, pregnancy, and delivery, somebody told you that you could delete the risk of pain, crippling, or fatal disease from your child’s young life. Would you do that? Introducing the new gene modification tool CRISPR, which could make designer babies a reality.
What is CRISPR?
Like a word document, CRISPR technology allows scientists to go into the human genome, cut out specialized stretches of DNA (CRISPRs), and paste new DNA in its place. Throughout this CRISPR region of DNA are repeated sequences of nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA), that are separated by spacer bits of DNA.
In March 2007, researchers discovered that a bacterium (Streptococcus thermophilus) would develop new spacersin the CRIPSR regionafter a virus attack. The new spacers were found to be identical to the DNA of the virus. In other words, the bacteria created a copy of the viruses’ DNA which would be used to prevent future attacks, similar to an immune response.[1]
Associated with CRISPR DNA is the protein Cas9. Cas9is an enzyme that acts like a pair of molecular scissors, capable of cutting strands of DNA.
When the virus attacks again, the saved RNA(which is the DNA copy) is sent out and locates the matching sequence of DNA on the virus. The Cas9 protein follows, and, when the location is found, it cuts the DNA thus destroying the virus. At a microscopic level, our bodies fight viruses with a miraculous technique of cut and paste!
In 2011, researchers discovered a CRISPR-Cas9 system in another bacterium (Streptococcus pyogenes). Scientists altered this bacterium, creating a simple system consisting of two parts – the guide RNA (or CRISPR guide) and the Cas9 protein. The CRISPR guide contains the coordinates where the gene editing takes place, and Cas9 follows to cut the DNA.[2]With this new technology, scientists can intervene in a similar way that nature does but with even more planning and deliberate alteration.
Uses of CRISPR
The potential uses of CRISPR are far reaching. Below is a list of ways CRISPR has already been used.
Remove Malaria from Mosquitos– In mosquitos, a targeted gene called FREP1 was found to keep malaria parasites alive. By cutting the gene out, the likelihood of the malaria parasite surviving was reduced.[3]
Treating Cancer – New treatment looks to delete two genes to help cancer patients. The first gene creates a molecule that cancer cells use to slow the immune system. The second gene looks to edit the receptor of immune cells to help steer them toward tumors.[4]
Human Organs from Pigs – Pigs have organs similar in size to humans; however, pig organs are rejected by the human body due to viruses in the pig. By editing the genes of pig embryos and removing the viruses, a company has created 37 pigs that are healthy and virus free.[5][6]
Revolutionizing the Drug Industry – CRISPR is making it easier for drug researchers to identify the genes and proteins that cause or prevent disease. It also allows them to create models that precisely mimic diseases.[7]
Super Plants – By editing the genes in rice, biologists can reduce its susceptibility to bacterial blight that greatly affect rice supplies in Asia and Africa.[8]
Changing the Human Species
In 2016, Chinese scientists were the first to use CRISPR gene editing on a human. The scientists knocked out a gene eliminating a molecule cancer cells use to slow the immune system in lung cancer patients. Since this initial procedure, China has continued to perform CRISPR gene editing on a reported 86 more patients.[9]
The gene editing performed on these patients created Somatic Mutations,which are mutations to the cells of the internal organs, skin, bones, blood, and connective tissues. Somatic mutations will not pass onto offspring. Germline mutations, in contrast,are mutations that affect every cell in an organism and are passed on to offspring. The gene editing for germline mutations are done in a human egg right after fertilization has occurred. In 2017, U.S. scientists changed the DNA of multiple embryos and demonstrated that it was possible to safely and efficiently correct defective genes that cause inherited diseases.[10]
What will it cost?
There currently are ways to create your very own designer baby. The two most frequently used procedures are PGD (Preimplantation genetic diagnosis) and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). PGD is a technique where scientists check the cells of an embryo for diseases prior to placing it in the uterus. The cost for this procedure runs $800 to freeze the eggs and $3500 to perform the tests. IVF checks the chromosomes of the embryo and can determine its sex, allowing parents to choose the sex of their child. The cost for this procedure can run as high as $25,000 per screening.[11]
A New Species
Children born with germline mutations will be the first generation of gene edited humans and will forever change the gene pool. How will society view them? Will they be something better than us? Or will we see designer children as Frankenstein-type monsters born of science. Could laws be put in place that make certain gene edits mandatory for your child? Could we see a world where we look down on those who don’t gene edit their children?
Pros and Cons of Using Gene Editing
Here is a quick list that showcases pros and cons of using CRISPR technology.
Pros:
Removal of diseases
Increased and healthier lifespans
Removal of birth defects
Increased knowledge of genetics
Prevention of next generation having a disease or defect
Keep pace with the technology of other nations
Cons:
Technology is new not yet perfected
The child has no choice in the matter
Lose individuality
Damage to the gene pool
Only wealthy can afford it
Large gaps in society
Without funding and support, the world’s scientists could lose out to third-party innovators free of regulation and oversight. For that reason, we at GKIS support scientific progress with an eye to maintaining our spirituality, morality, and humanity. I hope today’s article offers a topic to challenge your family and friends to complex, compassionate thinking around a screen-free dinner. Problem solving must be supported and mentored by loving, encouraging parents, just as you are. I applaud you for being that parent.
As an academic mentor, one of the true joys is watching CSUCI/GKIS interns evolve as researchers, writers, and collaborators while having fun in the process. CSUCI graduate, Dylan Smithson, has been with GKIS through several semesters now. He has not only evolved tremendously as a writer, but he is also a leader in our team who makes collaboration fun and productive. I think you’ll agree that his well-researched and -written and articles offer a comprehensive translation into cutting-edge, important topics. To read more of Dylan’s work, check out his first article “Is Your Child a Professional Gamer?”or search “Dylan” in the search window of our GKIS blog page.
I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.
[1]Barrangou, R., Fremaux, C., Deveau, H., Richards, M., Boyaval, P., Moineau, S., Romero, D.A., and Horvath, P. (2007). CRISPR provides acquired resistance against viruses in prokaryotes. Science 315, 1709–1712.
[2]Sapranauskas, R., Gasiunas, G., Fremaux, C., Barrangou, R., Horvath, P., and Siksnys, V. (2011). The Streptococcus thermophilus CRISPR/Cas system provides immunity in Escherichia coli. Nucl. Acids Res. 39, gkr606–gkr9282.
[9]Kristen Brown (2018) China Has Already Gene-Edited 86 People With CRISPR https://gizmodo.com/china-has-already-gene-edited-86-people-with-crispr-1822297524
[11]Carlin Flora (2018) IVF and Gender Selection: What You Need to Know (https://www.parents.com/getting-pregnant/gender/selection/ivf-and-gender-selection-what-you-need-to-know/
