Genetic testing analyzes your DNA to discover variants, which may affect the health of you and your family. Ever wondered how it works? Find out what scientists focus on when testing genetics.
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Transcription
What is genetic testing? One helpful analogy is to think about taking a photograph. As you frame your shot, there are many different levels at which you can zoom in on the object you're photographing. For example, you could take a photograph of a large tree from a distance. You may then wish to zoom in on a particular branch of the tree. You could further zoom in on the specific leaf of the tree, and you may even wish to look in detail at a specific area of that leaf.
Genetic testing involves a similar process of zooming in on an area of interest within your body, your DNA. The process of genetic testing begins by zooming in on the cells of a blood or tissue sample. Your cells make up the different tissues of your body. Scientists then look closely at a part of the cell called the nucleus, which is where most of your DNA is stored. DNA is stored in tightly-coiled strands called chromosomes.
In genetic testing, the chromosomes are unwound, and the message of the DNA is read as a series of letters. The DNA alphabet is made up of just four letters: A, C, T, and G. These letters are found in different combinations to make up genes, the instructions encoded in your DNA. Your genes help determine your hair and eye color, height, and other physical traits that you who you are. We now know that variations in our genes also impact our health and risk of disease. Genetic testing is a process by which scientists zoom in on your DNA and look for variations in your genes that can lead to disease.