Decode Your DNA

DNA is 99.5% the same, says Anne Wojcicki, a biologist and cofounder of 23andMe, a Web-based service that helps unlock the secrets of our cells. The slight variations in our genetic code are so individual that scientists can furnish more than 550,000 pieces of data about observable traits—or phenotypes—that make each person unique.

Phenotypes explain why my friend, Michelle, can successfully compete against Olympic athletes—she probably has ACTN3, known as the “speed gene”—eat lemons like they’re candy (bitter-taste blindness), and why her cancer scare proved to be nothing to worry about.

Don’t know your family medical history? No problem. Scientists are standing by, and, for a mere $1,000, will be happy to read your DNA and reveal the diseases to which you are most susceptible. If you’re adopted, you can use DNA to help find family. Or it can help fill in the gaps of your family tree, as in the well-publicized case of Warren and Jimmy Buffett (who discovered they’re not related). People suffering from diseases can initiate their own “consumer-directed research” by giving scientists access to their DNA for study in the hopes of curing disease.

The steps for getting your DNA report include giving consent, cash, and a saliva collection. The saliva is sent to a lab where your DNA is separated from your sample. Then certain points along the genome are read and measured in a process called genotyping. A month or two later, you’ll receive information about yourself that expounds on what you already know—and contains interesting surprises. When new DNA research hits the news, you can compare it to your profile to see if there’s a connection.

For more information, visit www.23andMe.com, www.navigenics.com, or www.decodeme.com.

— Michele Deppe