Abe's genes go marching on

Geneticists were given the green light last week to clone genes from
the remains of Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the US. Chips of bone,
blood stains and hair have been preserved since Lincoln was assassinated
in 1865. The president is thought to have inherited Marfan’s syndrome, which
is characterised by tallness, long arms and fingers, and heart disease.
Scientists believe they have located a genetic marker for Marfan’s syndrome
on chromosome 15. Nine experts, led by Victor McKusick, of Johns Hopkins
University, concluded that it is worth invading the dead president’s privacy
to investigate the theory.