Genetics and sports:

How might personal genetics transform athletics?

Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)Harvard Medical School

www.pged.org

What might a “sports gene test” tell us?

personal genetics education projectwww.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html

Do Now Answer the following questions:

Do you wish your parents had genetically tested you as a child to see if there is a certain sport at which you might excel, or to see if you had a special gift for musical ability? Why or why not? What could be a benefit and what could be a disadvantage to knowing this at an early age?

(Note: There is a test for a “sports gene,” though a test for musical ability does not exist)

What leads to excellence in sports:Genes? Environment? Training? Drive?

Image via www.womanzworld.comImage via nhl.com

Image via NYT/Chang W. Lee

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

personal genetics education project

Examples of a connection between genetics and athletics

• There is a version of the so-called “speed” gene     ACTN3 that may be linked to sprinting ability. Most

elite sprinters have at least one copy of this version.

• A small study indicates a possible link between having the ApoE4 version of the gene and increased risk of severe effects from a concussion.

• How much can these genes predict? (genetics vs. environment)

    

Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt:

Do their genes make

them different?

Photo: Matt Dunham AP

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Photo via www.michaelphelps.net

“Speed gene”: ACTN3

• The gene ACTN3 produces a protein – a-actinin 3 - that helps contractions occur in fast-twitch muscle fibers

• There is a version of ACTN3 linked to sprinting ability.

• ~95% of elite sprinters have at least one copy of this version of the gene.

• ~80% of general population also has at least one copy of this version also.

personal genetics education project

personal genetics education project

Direct-to-consumer testing for sports

•Companies are currently selling tests that look for these variants and others to try to predict a person’s                  risk for sports injuries and athletic ability.

•Target audiences are athletes, parents, coaches and trainers.

•There is much controversy about how predictive of athletic ability these tests really are and how forthcoming companies have been in disclosing what the test may reveal (link between ApoE4 variant and increased Alzheimer’s risk).

personal genetics education project

Discussion questions:

•Is genetic testing to predict performance useful? Fair? How fine is the line between testing for injury prevention and testing for performance potential?

•Fixing a torn tendon or a broken bone is uncontroversial. What about improving on an already healthy muscle, tendon, eyeball, etc.? Is this the logical next step?

•How do we decide for which medical/disease traits we screen athletes? What are the priorities?