ScienceDaily – Biotechnology

The 4x Rule: Why some People’s DNA Is More Unstable than Others

Researchers analyzed nearly one million genomes and found that short DNA repeats steadily lengthen with age. Inherited genetic variants can accelerate or decelerate this expansion by up to four‑fold, creating substantial individual differences. The study uncovered a previously unknown repeat expansion in the GLS gene that raises kidney disease risk fourteen‑fold and liver disease risk three‑fold. New computational tools now allow repeat instability to be measured across massive biobank datasets, opening pathways for biomarkers and therapies.