What do we know about genes? The 6 Most Amazing Genes in the World

　　The sleep gene, ABCC9

　　Why can't some people get enough sleep? Why do some people thrive on very little sleep? Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and the University of Munich in Germany found that a gene called ABCC9 affects the need for sleep. People with the gene need half an hour more sleep than those without it.

　　Researchers collected sleep time and blood samples from more than 10,000 participants in places as diverse as Orkney and Croatia. They found that people's sleep needs varied widely, with some needing just four hours, while others needed 11 hours. A genetic analysis of blood samples showed that people with the ABCC9 gene needed more than eight hours of sleep. This is an ancient gene that is widely found in mammals, and a similar gene is found in fruit flies. By blocking a gene similar to ABCC9 in the flies' nervous system, the researchers found that the duration of nocturnal sleep was significantly shortened. Professor Thiel Renneberg, one of the project participants, said the genetic control of sleep duration was likely based on similar mechanisms across many disparate species.

　　So far, scientists have identified six genes associated with sleep patterns. This might have been a good idea for famous late sleepers in history (Napoleon, Leonardo da Vinci, Margaret Thatcher...). To make a scientific guess. To think that you have three alarm clocks in the morning and lost your genes from the moment you fertilized your eggs is a sad answer

　　Hunger gene --KSR2 mutation

　　Always feeling hungry and craving something to eat? Take note, food lovers, research has confirmed that your cravings are in your genes. Researchers at the University of Cambridge found that a mutation in a gene called KSR2 increases appetite and increases the risk of obesity.

　　The KSR2 gene affects a number of cellular structural proteins that ensure hormonal signals, such as insulin, are properly processed in the body to regulate cell growth, division and energy use. Researchers sequenced the DNA of more than 2,000 patients with severe early-onset obesity. They found that about 2 percent of these patients had multiple variants in the KSR2 gene, twice as many as in non-obese people. Professor Sadaffarooqi, who led the study, said the mutation in the KSR2 gene, which increases appetite, also reduces the ability of cells to metabolise glucose and fatty acids.

　　So why spend so much money on losing weight and still lose it? Why can't you control your food cravings by all means? Maybe everything is destined by Yin, oh, that's another sad answer ~

　　The longevity gene, the FOXO3A mutation

　　Since ancient times, everyone has pursued a long and healthy life. In addition to cherishing health and avoiding death, "congenital conditions" also play an important role in achieving a long life. In 2009, researchers at Kiel University Medical School in Germany showed that a mutation in the FOXO3A gene in humans may help people live longer.

　　In this "longevity gene", FOXO3A's rs2764264 locus is replaced by G for C. The researchers compared DNA samples from 388 German centenarians and 731 young people and found that the FOXO3A mutation was prevalent in the very old. Japan has one of the longest life expectancies in the world. In 2008, Wilcox, a professor at the John Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, found that the longevity gene is also prevalent in Americans of Japanese ancestry who are 95 years old and older. The findings, combined with the results of a number of national samples, confirmed a strong link between FOXO3A and longevity in populations around the world.

　　As early as the 1990s, it was reported that the FOXO3A mutant gene in worms and fruit flies was closely related to the aging process, which aroused wide attention in the scientific community. Interestingly, Professor Wilcox's research also found that shorter men were more likely to have the 'longevity gene'. The FOXO3A mutation in early development makes people shorter and live longer. In addition, shorter men are more likely to have lower blood insulin levels and lower cancer rates.

　　Sudden death gene -- NOS1AP "family"

　　Sudden death is often linked to unhealthy lifestyles and high levels of work stress. Recent studies, however, have shown that genetic manipulation may also be behind the frequency of sudden death. In 2009, an international team of more than 40 researchers found that a gene called NOS1AP and nine of its variants alter the timing of heart muscle contractions, known as the QT interval, leading to an increased risk of sudden death.

　　The QT interval reflects the bioelectrical activity during each heartbeat from the time when the ventricle is stimulated to the end of myocardial activity. Abnormal QT interval can be manifested as severe arrhythmia, long QT interval, and higher risk of sudden death. Heart disease can lead to an increased risk of abnormal heart rhythms, such as long QT intervals, but the presence of these "sudden death genes" is often difficult to detect in a person's genetic code.

　　Many people with this "sudden death gene" are neither obese nor have high cholesterol, contrary to the common image of people with heart disease. As a result, these people are often unaware of the risks they carry. For them, the "sudden death gene" may be the most important cause of sudden death.

　　The "body odor gene" --ABCC11

　　Body odor is often linked to our personal hygiene habits, and those of us who "smell unique" are often labeled as less clean. In fact, this trait also comes from a note in the human genetic code written by the Creator. It is the ABCC11 gene in the middle of chromosome 16.

　　How does the ABCC11 gene cause hidrosis (body odor)? Embarrassing odors are usually found in places where apocrine sweat glands exist, such as armpits, groin, areola, etc. The expression of the ABCC11 gene causes these apocrine sweat glands to secrete a flood of sweat. Sweat itself is odorless, but because it contains protein and fat, and because it is in a secret location that does not evaporate, it is easily processed into pungent substances by microbes everywhere on the body. So the ABCC11 gene doesn't exactly cause body odor, but it does cause it.

　　So why does body odor only exist in some people? That's because base 538 on the ABCC11 gene changed from G to A, and the mutation resulted in reduced apocrine secretion. The vast majority of the yellow race has this mutation, which contributes to our fresh and pleasant temperament. So if you're "lucky" to be one of the few people who doesn't have a mutation, you can proudly claim to be gifted

　　The warrior gene --MAOA-3R

　　In the crowd there is always such a thorn, they are impulsive, aggressive, is a veritable unstable factor. It may sound like a specific trait, but biologists have found a link between a gene called MAOA and aggressive behavior in humans.

　　The MAOA gene is located on the X chromosome. Its corresponding protein is responsible for breaking down dysfunctional brain signaling molecules, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Geneticist Hans Bruner discovered that MAOA has a 3R version of the gene that prevents the protein from working properly. This leads to a buildup of these ineffective neurotransmitters, which can lead to abnormal mood and violent behavior. The gene was later dubbed the warrior gene by the media. MAOA-3R genotypes are highly prevalent in East Asian populations, with more than half in Han Chinese and only slightly more than 30% in Europeans.

　　But this genotype can also have a positive effect, with research finding that the warrior gene helps boost mood. Women with warrior genes tend to be happier than others and suffer significantly less depression. This may have a genetic aspect to the character of "tough women".