Genetically Speaking, You're More Like Your Father Than Your Mother

Are you more like your mom or like your dad? Genetically speaking, you're probably more like your father. Scientists have found that mammals are genetically more like their dads in a new study.

"This is an exceptional new research finding that opens the door to an entirely new area of exploration in human genetics," said Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena, one of the researchers, in a news release. "We've known that there are 95 genes that are subject to this parent-of-origin effect. They're called imprinted genes, and they can play roles in diseases, depending on whether the genetic mutation came from the father or the mother. Now we've found that in addition to them, there are thousands of other genes that have a novel parent-of-origin effect."

These genetic mutations that are handed down from parents show up in many common but complex diseases that involve many genes, such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, schizophrenia, obesity and cancers. Understanding how these mutations are transferred may help scientists develop better treatments.

The key to these new findings was the Collaborative Cross, which is the most genetically diverse mouse population in the world. Gene expression connects DNA to proteins which then carry out various functions inside cells. This process is crucial for proper human health. Mutations that alter gene expression are called regulatory mutations. In this case, the scientists selected three genetically diverse inbred strains of mice. These mice were bred to create nine types of hybrid offspring in which each strain was used as both mother and father. Then, the researchers measured gene expression in four kinds of tissue.

"We found that the vast majority of genes-about 80 percent-possessed variants that altered gene expression," said James Crowley, one of the researchers. "And this was when we discovered a new, genome-wide expression imbalance in favor of the dad in several hundred genes. This imbalance resulted in offspring whose brain gene expression was significantly more like their father's."

The findings are published in the journal Nature Genetics.

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