Tasty journey on the silk road
2
Academy Home Home Academy Research Earth Life Space Sustainability Technology Enter Search Term RSS HD PODCAST STANDARD PODCAST Tweet Tweet 0 TOP STORY: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 Tasty Journey on the Silk Road (Scroll down for Spanish version) By Zuberoa Marcos In June 2012, Paolo Gasparini, a medical geneticist at the University of Trieste, Italy, took the last DNA sample from an individual of an isolated community in northern Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. Since 2010, he and his colleagues have collected nearly 1100 samples of the different ethnic groups that live along the Silk Road, the historical 4,600-mile long international trade route between China and Europe. As he reports in Nature, his goal is to map the genetic roots of food preferences and of the senses that contribute to it. Over the past two decades, researchers have identified receptors on the tongue for sweet, umami, bitter, sour, and salty flavors and they have deciphered how the brain integrates this information. But understanding why people prefer certain foods is still a mystery. Scientists think subtle variations in the genes that encode the taste and smell receptors might have a big influence. The Silk Road is a paradise for genetic exploration. It connects East, South, and West Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa. In the mountains and valleys along the route live isolated populations composed of members that often intermarried, which makes them genetically very homogeneous. Within each tribe, scientists tested volunteers' abilities to hear different sound frequencies, to taste salty or bitter compounds soaked into scraps of filter paper, to distinguish different shades of color and to identify 12 different smells impregnated in marker-like sticks. The team also showed the volunteers pictures of 80 different food types and asked them to indicate how much they liked or disliked each one. Finally, they took a saliva sample from each participant. The team is now carrying out a detailed analysis of the DNA extracted from the saliva. They have already identified genetic differences involved in sensing spicy-hotness and in a sweetness molecule associated with a strong liking for vodka and white wine. The analyses of all the data from the Silk Road expedition — officially called Marco Polo, after the Venetian explorer who traveled the route in the thirteenth century—will not only keep the scientists busy for years but will provide very valuable resources for the food industry and human medicine. Understanding the genetic roots of food preferences and culinary traditions might one day help fight obesity. It could also help us develop new foods that are enjoyable but not bad for our bodies. Zuberoa Marcos is a former biologist and current science writer based in Barcelona. She writes articles regularly for Science Today. Un viaje sabroso por la Ruta de la Seda Por Zuberoa Marcos En junio de 2012, Paolo Gasparini, especialista en genética en la Universidad de Trieste, Italia, tomó la última muestra de ADN de un individuo de una comunidad aislada en el norte de Kirguistán, en el Asia Central. Desde 2010, él y su equipo han recogido casi 1.100 muestras de los diversos grupos étnicos que viven a lo largo de la Ruta de la Seda, la histórica red de rutas comerciales de más de 7000 kilómetros de longitud que se extendía desde China hasta Europa. Su objetivo, según recoge la revista Nature en un artículo, es descifrar las raíces genéticas que están detrás de las preferencias alimentarias y de los sentidos que contribuyen a ellas. En las últimas dos décadas, los investigadores han identificado receptores en la lengua para el dulce, el amargo, el ácido, el salado y el umami y han descifrado cómo esta información se integra en el cerebro. Pero por qué determinadas personas prefieren ciertos alimentos sigue siendo un misterio. Los científicos creen que pequeñas variaciones en los genes que codifican los receptores del gusto y del olfato podrían tener una gran influencia. La Ruta de la Seda es un paraíso para la exploración genética. Conecta Asia oriental, meridional y occidental con el mundo mediterráneo y europeo. En las montañas y valles a lo largo de la ruta viven poblaciones aisladas compuestas por pocas personas que, al casarse con individuos del mismo grupo, son genéticamente muy uniformes. Durante los últimos años los científicos han estudiado la capacidad de voluntarios de cada tribu para escuchar frecuencias de sonido diferentes, para saborear el salado y el amargo en trozos de papel de filtro empapados con distintos compuestos, para distinguir diferentes tonos de color y para identificar 12 olores. El equipo también mostró a los voluntarios las imágenes de 80 alimentos diferentes y les pidió que indicasen lo mucho que le gustaba o disgustaba cada uno. Por último, tomaron una muestra de saliva de cada participante. Like 0 BROWSE PREVIOUS TOP STORIES Dark Matter Detection? RELATED LINKS The Science and Art of Diagramming: Culturing Life and Chemical Sciences, Part 2 Letter: Heartbeat is truth and life Canada's youth bring real-life science innovations to life as 11 regional ... Venture philanthropy: An emerging source for life science funding DHL opens new Life Science and Healthcare center in Barcelona Bayer celebrates 150 years of Science for a Better Life This Iranian Drone Could Someday Save Your Life Wellington Partners Life Science Team Hires Venture Partner FEATURED EXPEDITION: APRIL What do Academy celebrities eat? How is their food prepared? James DePonte Animal Health Biologist Read more » ABOUT SCIENCE TODAY Science Today is the California Academy of Sciences’ channel for current stories on cutting-edge technologies, life, Earth, space and sustainability. Content is produced in-house and is distributed throughout the museum, on the internet and through various partners. Please share your comments on what you find important in the changing world of science. Ocean Acidification 189 New Species RELATED VIDEOS Tasty Journey on the Silk Road « Life « Science Today http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/tasty-journey-on-the-... 1 of 2 4/7/13 10:51 PM
-
Upload
zuberoa-marcos -
Category
Education
-
view
153 -
download
4
Transcript of Tasty journey on the silk road
Academy Home
Home Academy Research Earth Life Space Sustainability Technology
Enter Search Term
RSS HD PODCAST STANDARD PODCAST
TweetTweet 0
TOP STORY: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012
Tasty Journey on the Silk Road(Scroll down for Spanish version)
By Zuberoa Marcos
In June 2012, Paolo Gasparini, a medicalgeneticist at the University of Trieste, Italy, tookthe last DNA sample from an individual of anisolated community in northern Kyrgyzstan,Central Asia. Since 2010, he and his colleagueshave collected nearly 1100 samples of thedifferent ethnic groups that live along the SilkRoad, the historical 4,600-mile long internationaltrade route between China and Europe. As hereports in Nature, his goal is to map the geneticroots of food preferences and of the senses thatcontribute to it.
Over the past two decades, researchers haveidentified receptors on the tongue for sweet, umami, bitter, sour, and salty flavors and they have decipheredhow the brain integrates this information. But understanding why people prefer certain foods is still a mystery.Scientists think subtle variations in the genes that encode the taste and smell receptors might have a biginfluence.
The Silk Road is a paradise for genetic exploration. It connects East, South, and West Asia with theMediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa. In the mountains and valleysalong the route live isolated populations composed of members that often intermarried, which makes themgenetically very homogeneous.
Within each tribe, scientists tested volunteers' abilities to hear different sound frequencies, to taste salty orbitter compounds soaked into scraps of filter paper, to distinguish different shades of color and to identify 12different smells impregnated in marker-like sticks. The team also showed the volunteers pictures of 80 differentfood types and asked them to indicate how much they liked or disliked each one. Finally, they took a salivasample from each participant.
The team is now carrying out a detailed analysis of the DNA extracted from the saliva. They have alreadyidentified genetic differences involved in sensing spicy-hotness and in a sweetness molecule associated with astrong liking for vodka and white wine.
The analyses of all the data from the Silk Road expedition — officially called Marco Polo, after the Venetianexplorer who traveled the route in the thirteenth century—will not only keep the scientists busy for years butwill provide very valuable resources for the food industry and human medicine. Understanding the geneticroots of food preferences and culinary traditions might one day help fight obesity. It could also help us developnew foods that are enjoyable but not bad for our bodies.
Zuberoa Marcos is a former biologist and current science writer based in Barcelona. She writes articlesregularly for Science Today.
Un viaje sabroso por la Ruta de la Seda
Por Zuberoa Marcos
En junio de 2012, Paolo Gasparini, especialista en genética en la Universidad de Trieste, Italia, tomó la últimamuestra de ADN de un individuo de una comunidad aislada en el norte de Kirguistán, en el Asia Central.Desde 2010, él y su equipo han recogido casi 1.100 muestras de los diversos grupos étnicos que viven a lolargo de la Ruta de la Seda, la histórica red de rutas comerciales de más de 7000 kilómetros de longitud quese extendía desde China hasta Europa. Su objetivo, según recoge la revista Nature en un artículo, esdescifrar las raíces genéticas que están detrás de las preferencias alimentarias y de los sentidos quecontribuyen a ellas.
En las últimas dos décadas, los investigadores han identificado receptores en la lengua para el dulce, elamargo, el ácido, el salado y el umami y han descifrado cómo esta información se integra en el cerebro. Peropor qué determinadas personas prefieren ciertos alimentos sigue siendo un misterio. Los científicos creen quepequeñas variaciones en los genes que codifican los receptores del gusto y del olfato podrían tener una graninfluencia.
La Ruta de la Seda es un paraíso para la exploración genética. Conecta Asia oriental, meridional y occidentalcon el mundo mediterráneo y europeo. En las montañas y valles a lo largo de la ruta viven poblacionesaisladas compuestas por pocas personas que, al casarse con individuos del mismo grupo, son genéticamentemuy uniformes.
Durante los últimos años los científicos han estudiado la capacidad de voluntarios de cada tribu para escucharfrecuencias de sonido diferentes, para saborear el salado y el amargo en trozos de papel de filtro empapadoscon distintos compuestos, para distinguir diferentes tonos de color y para identificar 12 olores. El equipotambién mostró a los voluntarios las imágenes de 80 alimentos diferentes y les pidió que indicasen lo muchoque le gustaba o disgustaba cada uno. Por último, tomaron una muestra de saliva de cada participante.
Like 0 BROWSE
PREVIOUS TOP STORIES
Dark Matter Detection?
RELATED LINKS
The Science and Art of Diagramming:Culturing Life and Chemical Sciences,Part 2
Letter: Heartbeat is truth and life
Canada's youth bring real-life scienceinnovations to life as 11 regional ...
Venture philanthropy: An emergingsource for life science funding
DHL opens new Life Science andHealthcare center in Barcelona
Bayer celebrates 150 years of Sciencefor a Better Life
This Iranian Drone Could SomedaySave Your Life
Wellington Partners Life Science TeamHires Venture Partner
FEATURED EXPEDITION: APRIL
What do Academycelebrities eat? How istheir food prepared?
James DePonteAnimal Health BiologistRead more »
ABOUT SCIENCE TODAY
Science Today is the CaliforniaAcademy of Sciences’ channel forcurrent stories on cutting-edgetechnologies, life, Earth, space andsustainability. Content is producedin-house and is distributed throughoutthe museum, on the internet andthrough various partners. Please shareyour comments on what you findimportant in the changing world ofscience.
OceanAcidification
189 New Species
RELATED VIDEOS
Tasty Journey on the Silk Road « Life « Science Today http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/tasty-journey-on-the-...
1 of 2 4/7/13 10:51 PM
California Academy of Sciences55 Music Concourse Dr.San Francisco, CA 94118(415) 379-8000
Seleccionar idioma ▼
Newsletters Museum Store About Us Contact Us NewsroomCareers Privacy Policy Your California Privacy Rights Terms of Use
Thank you to our partners:
Sort by popular now
M Subscribe by email S RSS
Los científicos actualmente están realizando un análisis detallado del ADN de la saliva. Ya han identificadoalgunas diferencias genéticas implicadas en la detección del picante y en una molécula asociada al dulzorrelacionada con el gusto por el vodka y el vino blanco.
El análisis de todos los datos recopilados durante la expedición en Ruta de la Seda – llamada oficialmenteMarco Polo, en honor al explorador veneciano que fue el primer europeo en recorrer la ruta en el siglo XIII-mantendrá a los científicos ocupados durante años, pero proporcionará información muy valiosa a la industriaalimentaria y la medicina. Comprender las raíces genéticas de las preferencias alimenticias y tradicionesculinarias podría algún día ayudar a combatir la obesidad. También podría ayudar a desarrollar nuevosalimentos que son agradables pero no está mal para nuestros cuerpos.
Zuberoa Marcos es bióloga molecular y actualmente trabaja como productora de TV y periodista científica.Escribe de forma regular para Science Today.
Image: Guillaume Jacquet/Wikipedia
COMMENTS
SHOWING 0 COMMENTS
LoginADD NEW COMMENT
Type your comment here.
Tasty Journey on the Silk Road « Life « Science Today http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/tasty-journey-on-the-...
2 of 2 4/7/13 10:51 PM
