Uncovering Beethoven's Health and Family Secrets through DNA Analysis

Researchers used DNA from locks of Beethoven's hair to study his genome and shed light on his poor health. They found that Beethoven had two copies of a variant of the PNPLA3 gene linked to liver cirrhosis and single copies of two variants of a gene that causes haemochromatosis, a condition that damages the liver. They also discovered that Beethoven was infected with the hepatitis B virus in the final months of his life and that alcohol consumption may have exacerbated his liver disease risk. Additionally, the study revealed a family secret: Beethoven's locks had a different Y chromosome than expected, suggesting that at some point in the seven generations between Aert and Ludwig, someone's father for social and legal purposes was not their biological father.