Use of Worms Helps With Coding of the Human Alcoholism Gene

      In today's society, the use of alcohol to soothes ones nerves and calm them down is prevalent. Some people are actually susceptible to being dependent on alcohol. Alcoholics cannot set limits to their drinking. Geneticists and experts on addiction have a goal of being able to test whether or not a persons genetic makeup puts them at a risk for becoming alcohol dependent. Scientists have not been able to identify a single gene that makes people dependent on alcohol, but they do agree that it is a mixture of environmental factors and genetic makeup. This could explain why alcoholism runs in families. Research done at Virginia Commonwealth University has led to the discovery of a genetic variation in germs, that influenced alcohol tolerance. The study involved researchers giving worms ethanol and observing them when they were in a state of intoxication. Particularly, the scientists paid close attention to the worms' locomotion. Variations in locomotion were dependent the activity of or, lack of, the protein complex called 'switching defective/sucrose non-fermenting' or SWI/SNF. This complex is found in every animal. The results showed that this gene made worms more tolerant to the ethanol than other worms. The precise nature of how the protein influences alcohol dependence isn't clearly understood. But, one thing of significance to the SWI/SNF protein is that it influences how DNA is wrapped, which also can influence other genes. 

     In this day and age, understanding the effects and how to prevent alcohol dependence is important to many peoples well-being. Excessive drinking is common on college campuses and many young adults are loosing their lives over it. Understanding this gene and how it influences an individuals drinking habit could go a long way in saving someones life. Pharmacological treatments do exist today for this issue, but they are widely ineffective. This raises the significance of this research as a possible viable medicine could result from it.

Link1: http://www.insidescience.org/content/drunken-worms-could-help-decode-alcoholism-genetics/2741
Link2: http://www.pnas.org/content/112/10/3032.full.pdf