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Scientists have published the first human “pangenome” — a full genetic sequence that incorporates genomes from not just one individual, but 47. 

These 47 individuals hail from around the globe and thus vastly increase the diversity of the genomes represented in the sequence, compared to the previous full human genome sequence that scientists use as their reference for study. The first human genome sequence was released with some gaps in 2003 and only made “gapless” in 2022. If that first human genome is a simple linear string of genetic code, the new pangenome is a series of branching paths.

The ultimate goal of the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, which published the first draft of the pangenome on Wednesday (May 10) in the journal Nature (opens in new tab) , is to sequence at least 350 individuals from different populations around the world. Although 99.9% of the genome is the same from person to person, there is a lot of diversity found in that final 0.1%. 

“Rather than using a single genome sequence as our coordinate system, we should instead have a representation that is based on the genomes of many different people so we can better capture genetic diversity in humans,” Melissa Gymrek (opens in new tab) , a genetics researcher at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the project, told Live Science. 

Related: More than 150 ‘made-from-scratch’ genes are in the human genome. 2 are totally unique to us. 

The newly drafted human pangenome is a collection of different genomes from which to compare an individual genome sequence. Like a map of the subway system, the pangenome graph has many possible routes for a sequence to take, represented by the different colors.   The detouring paths at the top of the image represent single nucleotide variants (SNVs), which are single letter differences. The yellow path that loops around itself and repeats the same nucleotides represents a duplication variant. The pink path that loops counterclockwise and follows the nucleotide sequence backwards represents an inversion variant. At the bottom, the green and dark blue paths miss the C nucleotide in its route and represent a deletion variant. The light blue path, which has extra nucleotides in its route, represents an insertion variant. (Image credit: Darryl Leja, NHGRI) A reference for health 

The first full human genome sequence was completed in 2003 by the Human Genome Project and was based on one person’s DNA. Later, bits and pieces from about 20 other individuals were added, but 70% of the sequence scientists use to benchmark genetic variation still comes from a single person. 

Geneticists use the reference genome as a guide when sequencing pieces of people’s genetic codes, Arya Massarat (opens in new tab) , a doctoral student in Gymrek’s lab who co-authored an editorial about the new research with her in the journal Nature, told Live Science. They match the newly decoded DNA snippets to the reference to figure out how they fit within the genome as a whole. They also use the reference genome as a standard to pinpoint genetic variations — different versions of genes that diverge from the reference — that might be linked with health conditions. 

But with a single reference mostly from one person, scientists have only a limited window of genetic diversity to study.

The first pangenome draft now doubles the number of large genome variants, known as structural variants, that scientists can detect, bringing them up to 18,000. These are places in the genome where large chunks have been deleted, inserted or rearranged. The new draft also adds 119 million new base pairs, meaning the paired “letters” that make up the DNA sequence, and 1,115 new gene duplication mutations to the previous version of the human genome.

“It really is understanding and cataloging these differences between genomes that allow us to understand how cells operate and their biology and how they function, as well as understanding genetic differences and how they contribute to understanding human disease,” study co-author Karen Miga (opens in new tab) , a geneticist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said at a press conference held May 9. 

The pangenome could help scientists get a better grasp of complex conditions in which genes play an influential role, such as autism, schizophrenia, immune disorders and coronary heart disease, researchers involved with the study said at the press conference. 

For example, the Lipoprotein A gene is known to be one of the biggest risk factors for coronary heart disease in African Americans, but the specific genetic changes involved are complex and poorly understood, study co-author Evan Eichler (opens in new tab) , a genomics researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle, told reporters. With the pangenome, researchers can now more thoroughly compare the variation in people with heart disease and without, and this could help clarify individuals’ risk of heart disease based on what variants of the gene they carry. 

Related: As little as 1.5% of our genome is ‘uniquely human’  A diverse understanding 

The current pangenome draft used data from participants in the 1000 Genomes Project, which was the first attempt to sequence genomes from a large number of people from around the world. The included participants had agreed for their genetic sequences to be anonymized and included in publicly available databases. 

The new study also used advanced sequencing technology called “long-read sequencing,” as opposed to the short-read sequencing that came before. Short-read sequencing is what happens when you send your DNA to a company like 23andMe, Eichler said. Researchers read out small segments of DNA and then stitch them together into a whole. This kind of sequencing can capture a decent amount of genetic variation, but there can be poor overlap between each DNA fragment. Long-read sequencing, on the other hand, captures big segments of DNA all at once. RELATED STORIES—Humans’ big-brain genes may have come from ‘junk DNA’

—Rosalind Franklin knew DNA was a helix before Watson and Crick, unpublished material reveals

—Smallest genome of living creature discovered 

While it’s possible to sequence a genome with short-read sequencing for about $500, long-read sequencing is still expensive, costing about $10,000 a genome, Eichler said. The price is coming down, however, and the pangenome team hopes to sequence their next batches of genomes at half that cost or less. 

The researchers are working to recruit new participants to continue to fill in diversity gaps in the pangenome, study co-author Eimear Kenny (opens in new tab) , a professor of medicine and genetics at  the Institute for Genomic Health at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told reporters. Because genetic information is sensitive and because different rules govern data-sharing and privacy in different countries, this is delicate work. Issues include privacy, informed consent, and the possibility of discrimination based on genetic information, Kenny said. 

Already, researchers are uncovering new genetic processes with the draft pangenome. In two papers published in Nature alongside the work, researchers looked at highly repetitive segments of the genome. These segments have traditionally been difficult to study, biochemist Brian McStay (opens in new tab) of the National University of Ireland Galway, told Live Science, because sequencing them via short-read technology makes it hard to understand how they fit together. The long read technology allows for long chunks of these repetitive sequences to be read at once. 

The studies found that in one type of repetitive sequence (opens in new tab) , known as segmental duplications, there is a larger than expected amount of variation, potentially a mechanism for the long-term evolution of new functions for genes. In another type of repetitive sequence (opens in new tab) that is responsible for building the cellular machines that create new proteins, though, the genome stays remarkably stable. The pangenome allowed researchers to discover a potential mechanism for how these key segments of DNA stay consistent over time.

“This is just the start,” McStay said. “There will be a whole lot of new biology that will come out of this.”

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Tesla Semi suffers more delays and ‘dramatic’ price increase

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Tesla Semi suffers more delays and 'dramatic' price increase

According to a Tesla Semi customer, the electric truck program is suffering more delays and a price increase that is described as “dramatic.”

Tesla Semi has seen many delays, more than any other vehicle program at Tesla.

It was initially unveiled in 2017, and CEO Elon Musk claimed that it would go into production in 2019.

In late 2022, Tesla held an event where it unveiled the “production version” of the Tesla Semi and delivered the first few units to a “customer-partner”: PepsiCo.

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Tesla Semi PepsiCo truck u/Tutrifor
Tesla Semi Image credit: u/Tutrifor

More than 3 years later, the vehicle never went into volume production. Instead, Tesla only ran a very low volume pilot production at a factory in Nevada and only delivered a few dozen trucks to customers as part of test programs.

But Tesla promised that things would finally happen for the Tesla Semi this year.

Tesla has been building a new high-volume production factory specifically for the Tesla Semi program in a new building next to Gigafactory Nevada.

The goal was to start production in 2025, start customer deliveries, and ramp up to 50,000 trucks yearly.

Now, Ryder, a large transportation company and early customer-partner in Tesla’s semi truck program, is talking about further delays. The company also refers to a significant price increase.

California’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) awarded Ryder funding for a project to deploy Tesla Semi trucks and Megachargers at two of its facilities in the state.

Ryder had previously asked for extensions amid the delays in the Tesla Semi program.

In a new letter sent to MSRC last week and obtained by Electrek, Ryder asked the agency for another 28-month delay. The letter references delays in “Tesla product design, vehicle production” and it mentions “dramatic changes to the Tesla product economics”:

This extension is needed due to delays in Tesla product design, vehicle production and dramatic changes to the Tesla product economics. These delays have caused us to reevaluate the current Ryder fleet in the area.

The logistics company now says it plans to “deploy 18 Tesla Semi vehicles by June 2026.”

The reference to “dramatic changes to the Tesla product economics” points to a significant price increase for the Tesla Semi, which further communication with MSRC confirms.

In the agenda of a meeting to discuss the extension and changes to the project yesterday, MSRC confirms that the project went from 42 to 18 Tesla Semi trucks while the project commitment is not changing:

Ryder has indicated that their electric tractor manufacturer partner, Tesla, has experienced continued delays in product design and production. There have also been dramatic changes to the product economics. Ryder requests to reduce the number of vehicles from 42 to 18, stating that this would maintain their $7.5 million private match commitment.

In addition to the electric trucks, the project originally involved installing two integrated power centers and four Tesla Megachargers, split between two locations. Ryder is also looking to now install 3 Megachargers per location for a total of 6 instead of 4.

Tesla Semi Megacharger hero

The project changes also mention that “Ryder states that Tesla now requires 600kW chargers rather than the 750kW units originally engineered.”

Tesla Semi Price

When originally unveiling the Tesla Semi in 2017, the automaker mentioned prices of $150,000 for a 300-mile range truck and $180,000 for the 500-mile version. Tesla also took orders for a “Founder’s Series Semi” at $200,000.

However, Tesla didn’t update the prices when launching the “production version” of the truck in late 2023. Price increases have been speculated, but the company has never confirmed them.

New diesel-powered Class 8 semi trucks in the US today often range between $150,000 and $220,000.

The combination of a reasonable purchase price and low operation costs, thanks to cheaper electric rates than diesel, made the Tesla Semi a potentially revolutionary product to reduce the overall costs of operation in trucking while reducing emissions.

However, Ryder now points to a “dramatic” price increase for the Tesla Semi.

What is the cost of a Tesla Semi electric truck now?

Electrek’s Take

As I have often stated, Tesla Semi is the vehicle program I am most excited about at Tesla right now.

If Tesla can produce class 8 trucks capable of moving cargo of similar weight as diesel trucks over 500 miles on a single charge in high volume at a reasonable price point, they have a revolutionary product on their hands.

But the reasonable price part is now being questioned.

After reading the communications between Ryder and MSRC, while not clear, it looks like the program could be interpreted as MSRC covering the costs of installing the charging stations while Ryder committed $7.5 million to buying the trucks.

The math makes sense for the original funding request since $7.5 million divided by 42 trucks results in around $180,000 per truck — what Tesla first quoted for the 500-mile Tesla Semi truck.

Now, with just 18 trucks, it would point to a price of $415,000 per Tesla Semi truck. It’s possible that some of Ryder’s commitment could also go to an increase in Megacharger prices – either per charger or due to the two additional chargers. MSRC said that they don’t give more money when prices go up after an extension.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the 500-mile Tesla Semi ends up costing $350,000 to $400,000.

If that’s the case, Tesla Semi is impressive, but it won’t be the revolutionary product that will change the trucking industry.

It will need to be closer to $250,000-$300,000 to have a significant impact, which is not impossible with higher-volume production but would be difficult.

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AI could affect 40% of jobs and widen inequality between nations, UN warns

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AI could affect 40% of jobs and widen inequality between nations, UN warns

Artificial intelligence robot looking at futuristic digital data display.

Yuichiro Chino | Moment | Getty Images

Artificial intelligence is projected to reach $4.8 trillion in market value by 2033, but the technology’s benefits remain highly concentrated, according to the U.N. Trade and Development agency.

In a report released on Thursday, UNCTAD said the AI market cap would roughly equate to the size of Germany’s economy, with the technology offering productivity gains and driving digital transformation. 

However, the agency also raised concerns about automation and job displacement, warning that AI could affect 40% of jobs worldwide. On top of that, AI is not inherently inclusive, meaning the economic gains from the tech remain “highly concentrated,” the report added. 

“The benefits of AI-driven automation often favour capital over labour, which could widen inequality and reduce the competitive advantage of low-cost labour in developing economies,” it said. 

The potential for AI to cause unemployment and inequality is a long-standing concern, with the IMF making similar warnings over a year ago. In January, The World Economic Forum released findings that as many as 41% of employers were planning on downsizing their staff in areas where AI could replicate them.  

However, the UNCTAD report also highlights inequalities between nations, with U.N. data showing that 40% of global corporate research and development spending in AI is concentrated among just 100 firms, mainly those in the U.S. and China. 

Furthermore, it notes that leading tech giants, such as Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft — companies that stand to benefit from the AI boom — have a market value that rivals the gross domestic product of the entire African continent. 

This AI dominance at national and corporate levels threatens to widen those technological divides, leaving many nations at risk of lagging behind, UNCTAD said. It noted that 118 countries — mostly in the Global South — are absent from major AI governance discussions. 

UN recommendations 

But AI is not just about job replacement, the report said, noting that it can also “create new industries and and empower workers” — provided there is adequate investment in reskilling and upskilling.

But in order for developing nations not to fall behind, they must “have a seat at the table” when it comes to AI regulation and ethical frameworks, it said.

In its report, UNCTAD makes a number of recommendations to the international community for driving inclusive growth. They include an AI public disclosure mechanism, shared AI infrastructure, the use of open-source AI models and initiatives to share AI knowledge and resources. 

Open-source generally refers to software in which the source code is made freely available on the web for possible modification and redistribution.

“AI can be a catalyst for progress, innovation, and shared prosperity – but only if countries actively shape its trajectory,” the report concludes. 

“Strategic investments, inclusive governance, and international cooperation are key to ensuring that AI benefits all, rather than reinforcing existing divides.”

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BP chair Helge Lund to step down after oil major pledges strategic reset

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BP chair Helge Lund to step down after oil major pledges strategic reset

British oil and gasoline company BP (British Petroleum) signage is being pictured in Warsaw, Poland, on July 29, 2024.

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

British oil major BP on Friday said its chair Helge Lund will soon step down, kickstarting a succession process shortly after the company launched a fundamental strategic reset.

“Having fundamentally reset our strategy, bp’s focus now is on delivering the strategy at pace, improving performance and growing shareholder value,” Lund said in a statement.

“Now is the right time to start the process to find my successor and enable an orderly and seamless handover,” he added.

Lund is expected to step down in 2026. BP said the succession process will be led by Amanda Blanc in her capacity as senior independent director.

Shares of BP traded 2.2% lower on Friday morning. The London-listed firm has lagged its industry rivals in recent years.

BP announced in February that it plans to ramp up annual oil and gas investment to $10 billion through 2027 and slash spending on renewables as part of its new strategic direction.

Analysts have broadly welcomed BP’s renewed focus on hydrocarbons, although the beleaguered energy giant remains under significant pressure from activist investors.

U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management has built a stake of around 5% to become one of BP’s largest shareholders, according to Reuters.

Activist investor Follow This, meanwhile, recently pushed for investors to vote against Lund’s reappointment as chair at BP’s April 17 shareholder meeting in protest over the firm’s recent strategy U-turn.

Lund had previously backed BP’s 2020 strategy, when Bernard Looney was CEO, to boost investment in renewables and cut production of oil and gas by 40% by 2030.

BP CEO Murray Auchincloss, who took the helm on a permanent basis in January last year, is under significant pressure to reassure investors that the company is on the right track to improve its financial performance.

‘A more clearly defined break’

“Elliott continues to press BP for a sharper, more clearly defined break with the strategy to pivot more quickly toward renewables, that was outlined by Bernard Looney when he was CEO,” Russ Mould, AJ Bell’s investment director, told CNBC via email on Friday.

“Mr Lund was chair then and so he is firmly associated with that plan, which current boss Murray Auchincloss is refining,” he added.

Mould said activist campaigns tend to have “fairly classic thrusts,” such as a change in management or governance, higher shareholder distributions, an overhaul of corporate structure and operational improvements.

“In BP’s case, we now have a shift in capital allocation and a change in management, so it will be interesting to see if this appeases Elliott, though it would be no surprise if it feels more can and should be done,” Mould said.

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