Identical+twins+are+not+genetically+similar

Identical Twin Genetics Feb. 20, 2008 Garrett Nimmo Scientists previously thought that identical twins were genetically different, but scientists have discovered that this is not the case. Nineteen pairs of identical twins were studied, and scientists found several differences in Copy Number Variation (Copy Number Variation). CNV happens when coding letters from the DNA are missing, or there are extra copies of DNA produced. There have been cases where one twin would develop a disease like Parkinson’s disease and one twin would not. This was previously thought to be because of environmental factors and not genetics. Changes in CNV could tell scientists whether or not a missing gene or extra copies of a gene could be what causes these disorders.

March 19, 2010