Human AGTR1 Expression Oct 3, 2008
A gene is a DNA sequence that is transcribed into RNA, which is translated into protein ... This can be influenced by mutations in the DNA sequence that slow down or speed up the transcriptional machinery. (Suite101.com)
Strong association found between prevalence of low white blood count and women of African descent Sep 20, 2008
"The goal of our study was to learn as much as we could about the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), which creates a person's unique DNA sequence, and low white blood cell counts (WBC)," said Victor, R. Grann, MD, professor of Epidemiology and Health Policy and Management at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, professor of Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians ons, director of Research Recruitment and Minority Outreach of the Herbert... (EurekAlert!)
Faster, Cheaper Way Of Analyzing The Human Genome Developed Sep 16, 2008
15, 2008) Investigators at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) has recently announced a faster and less expensive way for scientists to find which genes might affect human health. Using bar-codes, not unlike what shoppers find in grocery stores, TGen researchers found a way to index portions of the nearly 3-billion-base human genetic code, making it easier for scientists to zero in on the regions most likely to show variations in genetic traits. (Science Daily)
How plants fine tune their natural chemical defenses Sep 8, 2008
"This was the first systematic effort to link DNA sequence variation with chemical complexity," says O'Maille. This first glimpse revealed a rugged landscape of catalytic activities, where small changes gradually shift the equilibrium between both phytoalexins and in some cases cause rapid evolutionary jumps. (EurekAlert!)
Molecular Evolution Is Echoed In Bat Ears Sep 5, 2008
The researchers studied the Prestin DNA sequence in a range of echolocating bats and fruit bats, which do not echolocate. They found that parts of the gene appear to have evolved to be similar in the distantly related echolocating species. (Science Daily)
A Kissing Gene Sep 5, 2008
For voles, genes also control the pair-bonding behavior of males, and the gene in question is also the DNA sequence that codes for an arginine vasopressin receptor. Conclusion: Genetic studies like this oneand others involving genetic variants that seem related to risk-taking behavior and zero in on a behavior that's too complex and interactive to predict in individuals, but they also have important effects on how we live our lives. (Slate)
Gene enhancer in evolution of human opposable thumb Sep 5, 2008
Dr. Shyam Prabhakar, first author of the paper and Senior Research Scientist at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), said, "Opposable thumbs, manual dexterity and ankle or foot adaptations for walking on two legs are hallmarks of our species. We think we may have discovered one of the pieces of the genome that encodes some of these definitive human traits. "This is just the first step we need to characterize HACNS1 in more detail, and also test the hundreds of other HACNSs we have... (EurekAlert!)
Landmark study opens door to new cancer, aging treatments Sep 1, 2008
In humans, telomerase adds multiple repeats of a short DNA sequence to the ends of chromosomes, known as telomeres, thus preventing damage and the loss of genetic information during cell division. When telomerase is dormant, telomeres shorten each time a cell divides, leading eventually to genetic instability and cell death. (EurekAlert!)
Key discovered to cold tolerance in corn Aug 30, 2008
The researchers examined the DNA sequence of the gene coding for this enzyme in both plants, but could find no difference, nor could they see any difference in the behavior of the enzyme in the test tube. However, they noticed that when leaves of corn were placed in the cold, PPDK slowly disappeared in parallel with the decline in the ability of the leaf to take up carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. (EurekAlert!)
Stress of war may help cause schizophrenia: study Aug 24, 2008
Epigenetic changes affect how a gene works, but not the DNA sequence itself. Schizophrenia, which affects about 1. (Reuters India)
Anything but modest: The mouse continues to contribute to humankind Aug 8, 2008
One such technique that Nguyen and Xu are working on involves inserting a segment of DNA sequence into the much lengthier full genome of the mouse. These insertable DNA sequences are known as transposons. (EurekAlert!)
Fertility: Newly Discovered Proteins In Seminal Fluid Transferred During Mating May Affect Odds Of Producing Offspring Jul 31, 2008
First, by making DNA sequence comparisons, they found that when the same proteins appear in different species, the molecules often have different sequences and have diverged more quickly than would be expected by chance. Second, using proteomics, they identified proteins that are found only in certain species' seminal fluid. (Science Daily)
Milkweed's Evolutionary Approach To Caterpillars: Counter Appetite With Fast Repair Jul 25, 2008
Using DNA sequence data to look at relationships between 38 species of milkweed, Agrawal and colleague Mark Fishbein, a Portland State University biologist, found evolutionary declines in milkweed's three most important resistance traits (hairs, cardenolides and latex) and an escalation in the plant's ability to regrow. Agrawal was surprised, he said, to find that the plant became more tolerant rather than more diverse in its defenses. (Science Daily)
Researchers identify gene responsible for rare childhood disease Jul 25, 2008
Using genetic technology that can determine small variations in the genetic code within a person's DNA sequence known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (or SNPs, pronounced "snips"), the researchers determined that mutation of a molecule known as the Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule or EpCAM is the cause of CTE.. "We hope that this information will allow us to not only understand what causes this disease, but eventually lead to further advances in its diagnosis and treatment," Sivagnanam said. (EurekAlert!)
GBParsy: A GenBank flatfile parser library with high speed Jul 25, 2008
However, with the accumulation of DNA sequence information from eukaryotic chromosomes, parsing a eukaryotic genome sequence with these libraries inevitably takes a long time, due to the large GBF file and its correspondingly large genomic nucleotide sequence and related feature information. Thus, there is significant need to develop a parsing program with high speed and efficient use of system memory. (BioMed Central)
New Technique Gets To The Root Of Cancer Jul 22, 2008
The concept behind their new method is simple: Previous research indicated that each time a cell divides, harmless mutations are introduced, and that 'cell relatives' of distant generations tend to acquire more mutations, drifting away from the original DNA sequence of the zygote. Inspired by this, the team developed a non-invasive, accurate and systematic way, involving DNA amplification and computer simulations, to quantitatively estimate cell depth on the basis of the number of mutations in... (Science Daily)
Cell processor trio extend R&D with Georgia Tech Jul 14, 2008
Projects will also focus on: the development of a signal processing kernel needed for oil and gas exploration and seismic monitoring; data compression, used for file compression or reducing the size of messages sent between computers required in multiple industries; financial services applications for consolidated debt optimization, as well as European and American options pricing; encryption libraries for securing communications for privacy; high-speed multimedia codecs, such as MPEG2 and... (EETimes)
Unsuspected Gene Mutation Found For Atrial Fibrillation Jul 13, 2008
Ultimately, a mutation -- a flaw in the DNA sequence -- was discovered in one of these genes among family members with the arrhythmia. Collaborators at the University of Iowa confirmed in an animal model the mutation's role in altering the electrical properties of the heart. (Science Daily)
New Mode Of Gene Regulation In Mammals Jul 13, 2008
When a gene is activated or "expressed," its DNA sequence on the chromosome is transcribed into an RNA molecule called a messenger RNA. The messenger RNA sequence is then translated into the amino acid sequence of a protein molecule, and the protein then carries out the gene's function in the cell. In the genes studied by Martick and Horan, the messenger RNA contains sequences that assemble to form an active hammerhead ribozyme. (Science Daily)
Horror Movie Review: Teeth Jul 4, 2008
Should viruses, transposons, radiation, or mutagenic chemicals change the DNA sequence of a cell s genome, the result would usually be a harmful or weakly beneficial anomaly that would normally be wiped out through natural selection. However, as that theory states that the strongest beings with the most advantageous traits are the most likely to reproduce, a beneficial anomaly could logically find itself becoming a dominant trait. (Suite101.com)
Footrot vaccine closer than ever Jul 2, 2008
"The trials are the culmination of 8 years of collaborative work on the pathogenic bacterium which causes footrot, Dichelobacter nodosus. We have determined the bacterium's complete DNA sequence, which was then analysed to identify proteins that are potentially exposed on the surface of the causative bacterium and therefore more likely to elicit an immune response," Professor Rood said. "The approach, called reverse vaccinology, identified 90 proteins in the footrot bacterium that are potential... (EurekAlert!)
Zinc Finger Proteins Put Personalized HIV Therapy Within Reach Jul 1, 2008
Normally, zinc fingers bind to different bases in the DNA sequence to regulate the activity of genes. The zinc fingers used in this experiment were designed to bind to specific DNA sequences in the CCR5 gene. (Science Daily)
Friday Finishers June 27 Jun 27, 2008
To Mars Inc. , which has declared its intention to decode the DNA sequence of the cocoa tree in collaboration with IBM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The idea is to create cocoa trees that are more resistant to pests and diseases, and better able to withstand the anticipated stresses that will come with global climate change. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
'Early bird' project really gets the worm Jun 27, 2008
For more than five years, the Early Bird Project, funded by the National Science Foundation's "Assembling the Tree-of-Life" research program, has been collecting DNA sequence data from all major living groups of birds ... Thus far, scientists have built and analyzed a dataset of more than 32 kilobases of nuclear DNA sequences from 19 different locations on the DNA of each of 169 bird species ... "It uses DNA sequences to infer key events in the diversification of birds that happened tens of... (EurekAlert!)
Individual Genome Changes over a Lifetime Jun 26, 2008
TUESDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- A new finding about the chemical, or epigenetic, marks on an individual's DNA sequence may explain why people become more susceptible to disease as they age and why the health of one's genes is similar among families ... "We're beginning to see that epigenetics stands at the center of modern medicine, because epigenetic changes, unlike DNA sequence which is the same in every cell, can occur as a result of dietary and other environmental exposure," Dr. Andrew... (MEDLINEplus)
New paradigm for cell-specific gene delivery Jun 23, 2008
David Dean and Jennifer Young from the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University, in collaboration with Warren Zimmer from Texas A versity, now demonstrate that such restriction of nuclear entry using this specific DNA sequence can be used in blood vessels of living animals to direct gene transfer and expression specifically to smooth muscle cells ... Dr. Dean continues, "Now that we have demonstrated proof of principle for this approach we can look for DNA sequences that act in other... (EurekAlert!)
Chloroplast DNA sequence of the green alga Oedogonium cardiacum (Chlorophyceae): unique genome architecture, derived characters shared with the Chaetophorales and novel genes acquired through horizontal transfer Jun 17, 2008
The complete cpDNA sequences previously reported for Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonadales), Scenedesmus (Sphaeropleales), and Stigeoclonium (Chaetophorales) revealed tremendous variability in their architecture, the retention of only few ancestral gene clusters, and derived clusters shared by Chlamydomonas and Scenedesmus ... We describe here the complete cpDNA sequence of Oedogonium cardiacum (Oedogoniales). (BioMed Central)
Missing Protein In Fragile X Syndrome Is Key To Transporting Signals Within Neurons Jun 15, 2008
Translation of an organism's genetic information begins in the nucleus of a cell, where the DNA sequence (gene) is copied into an mRNA molecule, then exported into the cell's cytoplasm and translated into protein molecules. FXS is caused by the silencing of a single gene, which normally would encode for the expression of the fragile x mental retardation protein (FMRP)--an mRNA (messenger RNA) binding protein. (Science Daily)
The cause of all hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type II cases has been established Jun 11, 2008
Unfortunately no therapy is currently available for individuals suffering from hereditary neuropathy type II. In 2004, Dr. Rouleau's team identified the DNA sequence of HSN2 as encoding a novel gene but their more recent investigations have now shown that this sequence is more precisely linked to the expression of a WNK1 isoform that is exclusively detected in the nervous system. Till their discovery, the presence of mutations in WNK1 were only observed in individual suffering from a rare form... (EurekAlert!)
Sangamo BioSciences Announces Presentation of Phase 1b ZFP Therapeutic Data at American Diabetes Association Meeting Jun 9, 2008
By engineering ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence Sangamo has created ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TF(TM)) that can control gene expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo is also developing sequence-specific ZFP Nucleases (ZFN(TM)) for gene modification. (PR Newswire)
Schneider's photos add a dose of science Jun 2, 2008
His DNA sequence is just that: a set of spindly looking shapes, no matter how handsomely it's done in platinum (Schneider is an expert printer). It is rather remarkable to think that his Genetic Self-Portrait: Chromosomes (1997) contains defining markers of his identity, printed as 19 images But in purely visual terms, a marker is a marker is a marker. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Potential treatments from cryptic genes Jun 2, 2008
"Over the last eight years we have been looking for new natural products in the DNA sequence of the antibiotic-producing bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor," said Professor Gregory Challis from the University of Warwick ... It is possible to identify pathways that produce new compounds by looking at the DNA sequences and many gene clusters likely to encode natural products have been analysed. (EurekAlert!)
DNA sequence mapped for woman 1st time Jun 1, 2008
Geneticist Marjolein Kriek poses on top of a printout of her "DNA sequence map" at the Leid's Medical Centre in Leiden May 29, 2008 ... Geneticist Marjolein Kriek poses on top of a printout of her "DNA sequence map" at the Leid's Medical Centre in Leiden May 29, 2008. (Xinhuanet, China)
Presentation of Data on Progen's Cancer Epigenetic Targets Platform May 30, 2008
Progen has operations in Australia and the US. About Epigenetics: Epigenetics is defined as inherited changes in gene expression that are not associated with changes in the DNA sequence itself, but rather are associated with changes in the activation and regulation of gene transcription. Its role in cancer, through the aberrant silencing or repression of gene expression, is now recognized and a number of epigenetic targets in oncology have now been identified. (PR Newswire)
Infotainment May 28, 2008
Its the first woman in the world and the first European whose DNA sequence will be made public, the researchers at Leiden University Medical Centre in the western Netherlands said in a statement. The. (Daily Times, Pakistan)
Pacific Biosciences acquires single molecule sequencing technology May 28, 2008
Sequencing by incorporation generally identifies nucleotides in a DNA sequence based upon synthesis of a complementary DNA strand. The technology acquired from Lincoln, Neb. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Compressing DNA sequence databases with coil May 20, 2008
Publicly available DNA sequence databases such as GenBank are large, and are growing at an exponential rate ... While much research has been done on compressing individual DNA sequences, surprisingly little has focused on the compression of entire databases of such sequences ... We have designed and implemented a portable software package, COIL, for compressing and decompressing DNA sequence databases based on the idea of edit-tree coding. (BioMed Central)
Biochips Can Detect Cancers Before Symptoms May 14, 2008
Each of these drops contains a unique protein, antibody or nucleic acid that will attach to a particular DNA sequence or antigen. A tumor, even in its earliest asymptomatic phases, can slough off proteins that find their way into a patient's circulatory system. (Science Daily)
Scientists discover small RNAs that regulate gene expression and protect the genome May 14, 2008
RNA is best known as a working copy of the DNA sequence of genes ... RNA molecules consist of sequences of chemical units, or bases, that are copies of the DNA sequence. (EurekAlert!)
Gene Linked To Alcohol And Cocaine Dependence May 13, 2008
A new study has found that nine of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) -- DNA sequence variations -- in the 3' region of the tachykinin receptor 3 gene (TACR3), located within chromosome 4q, have a significant association with AD, particularly those with more severe AD, and co-existing cocaine dependence. See also. (Science Daily)
Epigenetics and suicide May 8, 2008
The differences were epigenetic, meaning that rather than finding changes in the DNA sequence, there were differences in the frequency with which a chemical group, called a methyl group, is attached to certain regions of the DNA. This chemical modification can reduce expression of genes: in this case they looked at epigenetic changes to a gene that is critical for production of proteins and found that not only were there more methyl groups, but those methyl groups correlated with reduced gene... (Nature News Service)
Unraveling the Link Between Genes and Environment May 7, 2008
MONDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- New studies in the field of epigenetics -- which looks at how environmental factors can change gene function without altering DNA sequence -- are identifying new molecular targets that may lead to improved drug treatment of depression, scientists report. Epigenetics plays a major role in depression and the actions of antidepressants. (MEDLINEplus)
The tachykinin receptor 3 gene has been linked to alcohol and cocaine dependence May 6, 2008
Researchers have found that seven of the nine single nucleotide polymorphisms DNA sequence variations in the 3 region of TACR3 have a significant association with AD as well as cocaine dependence ... A new study has found that nine of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) DNA sequence variations in the 3 region of the tachykinin receptor 3 gene (TACR3), located within chromosome 4q, have a significant association with AD, particularly those with more severe AD, and co-existing... (EurekAlert!)
Half of people carry 'fat gene' May 6, 2008
The DNA sequence - carried by 50 per cent of the UK population - is a third more common among people of Indian Asian ancestry than among Europeans, say researchers. They hope the findings will lead to better ways of curbing rising obesity rates, such as screening programmes to identify those most at risk. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Genetic Breakthrough Explains Dangerously High Blood Glucose Levels May 4, 2008
ScienceDaily (May 3, 2008) Canadian, French and British researchers have identified a DNA sequence that controls the variability of blood glucose levels in people. This is a potentially significant discovery because high blood glucose levels in otherwise healthy people often are indications of heart disease and higher mortality rates. (Science Daily)
Microbes in natural Illinois wetlands help protect water quality, environment May 3, 2008
Each group of microbes has a slightly different DNA sequence for this gene, and we were able to use these differences to determine the make-up of the microbial populations in those wetland samples. When we compared the activity in the natural wetlands to the constructed wetlands, we found that the differences seen in the denitrification rates were correlated to the pattern seen in the microbial community composition. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
New Technologies Offer More Accurate Means Of Diagnosis And Monitoring Cancer Apr 21, 2008
Using a laboratory technique called methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, which enables the production of millions of copies of a specific DNA sequence in a short period of time, the researchers analyzed promoter methylation (a DNA modification that shuts down gene expression) of the tumor suppressor genes p16 and FHIT in 1,774 samples of oral and bronchial tissue taken from the study participants. They found that methylation patterns observed in the oral tissues correlated with those... (Science Daily)
Many African-Americans have a gene that prolongs life after heart failure Apr 21, 2008
The researchers meticulously searched the DNA sequence of these genes in 96 people of European-American, African-American or Chinese descent to look for differences. They found most people, no matter their race, had exactly the same DNA sequence in GRK2 or GRK5 ... But there was one common variation in the DNA sequence, a variation called GRK5-Leu41, the variant that more than 40 percent of African-Americans have. (EurekAlert!)
Researchers chart how new flu strains travel Apr 17, 2008
They also determined the DNA sequence of the hemagglutinin gene for about 10% of the viruses. The team found that once the viruses leave Asia, they don't change much and rarely return. (Los Angeles Times)
Molecule Disrupts DNA Sequence in Ewing's Sarcoma Apr 14, 2008
Finding could yield first targeted therapy for the rare disease, researchers say. (SOURCE: Georgetown University Medical Center, news release, April 13, 2008). (Health-Finder)
'Connecting The Dots' In Path That Leads To Fat Apr 12, 2008
However, they weren't able to show that it binds the DNA sequence that promotes C/EBP. activity directly, suggesting that it doesn't "flip the switch" on its own. (Science Daily)
Harvard researchers publish MRI images of genes in action in the living brain Mar 31, 2008
In this report, Harvard researchers describe how they link a relatively common MRI probe (superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles) to a short DNA sequence that binds to proteins in cells responsible for brain tissue repair (glia and astrocytes). Then, researchers used the eye drops on mice with conditions that cause leaks in the blood-brain barrier. (EurekAlert!)
Gene hunters uncover networks behind disease Mar 17, 2008
The researchers then searched the genome for additional DNA sequence variations associated with some of these changes in gene expression. This approach is conceptually similar to a traditional genetic association study, but starting with information about altered gene expression gives the researchers a hint about how these variants could be acting to affect obesity. (Nature News Service)
Mystery of the polar bear whose remains were found in Scotland Mar 8, 2008
Now Ceiridwen Edwards, an ancient-bear specialist at Trinity College Dublin, is hoping to get permission to take small samples of bone from the skull to analyse the animal's DNA sequence, as well as taking further measurements to investigate its diet ... "There is a theory that brown bears and polar bears were hybridising and this could show up in the DNA sequence. I'm quite interested to see where this polar bear fits in to the overall genetic diversity of bears," she said. (Independent)
Secrets Of Cooperation Between Trees And Fungi Revealed Mar 7, 2008
Rubin indicates that by using DNA sequence to survey the forest ecosystem, from the plants to symbiotic and pathogenic fungi, researchers can ultimately optimize the conditions under which a biomass plantation would thrive. "We now have the opportunity to gain fundamental insights into plant development and growth as related to their intimate interaction which symbiotic fungi. These insights will lead to bolstered biomass productivity and improved forests.". (Science Daily)
Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features high-throughput methods for analyzing gene activity Mar 4, 2008
Our knowledge of epigenetics, the changes in gene regulation through modulation of chromatin not brought about by changes in the DNA sequence, has rapidly expanded in recent years ... The method, "DNA Immunoprecipitation (DIP) for the Determination of DNA-binding Specificity," allows researchers to determine the specific DNA sequence that a regulatory protein binds. (EurekAlert!)
Batteries made of viruses Feb 18, 2008
Once she finds the right amino acid sequences, its relatively easy to work back to the DNA sequence that would encode then. Shove that DNA sequence into a virus, and voila, youve made a virus that can bind to a semiconductor. (Nature News Service)
Structure Of Important Neurotransmitter Regulator Determined Feb 7, 2008
Part of the challenge was solved when the DNA sequence of KAT II was determined, but knowing the code is not enough. How proteins pass their critical messages also depends upon their shape. (Science Daily)
Scientist brings artificial life one step closer Jan 25, 2008
The resulting DNA sequence has about 582,000 base pairs of genetic code in 485 genes. Dr Venter said it was the largest artificial sequence ever made, 20 times longer than any previous attempt. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Detailed gene map 'within grasp' Jan 23, 2008
"The dream of people working in the field would be to have a picture of all the places in our DNA sequence where there are differences between people, and how these fit together when they are inherited," Dr Richard Durbin of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, who is co-chair of the consortium, told BBC News. "We can do 100 times as much sequence today as before for the same amount of money," he explained. (BBC News -- Health)
Genetic Diversity Of European Americans And Disease Gene Mapping Jan 20, 2008
Based on their discovery that ancestry from only three populations accounts for most of the potentially problematic substructure in European American disease association studies, the researchers scoured through published data sets to identify places in the genome where common DNA sequence variants differ substantially in frequency among these three ancestral populations and are therefore potentially informative for estimating genetic ancestry. The investigators then confirmed the utility of... (Science Daily)
New Virus Linked To Skin Cancer Jan 18, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008. New virus linked to rare but lethal skin cancer Posted: 18 January 2008 1225 hrs. (Channelnewsasia.com)
Scientists discover bad cholesterol genes Jan 13, 2008
A team of researchers from The Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry carried out a detailed study of the entire human DNA sequence to pinpoint which genes might be involved and the team found a new region on chromosome 1 that appeared to influence LDL cholesterol. This DNA was associated with a 6 percent increase in blood LDL levels, according to the researchers. (Xinhuanet, China)
High cholestrol linked to genes Jan 12, 2008
The researchers showed that people with the common DNA sequence were likely to have higher levels of the so-called bad cholesterol responsible for increased risk of heart disease, Patricia Munroe, who led the study, said on Thursday. "People knew this genetic marker was associated with a higher risk of heart disease, and the new findings show why - it is associated with high cholesterol," said Munroe, a geneticist at the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Bad cholesterol genes discovered Jan 12, 2008
The Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry team carried out a detailed study of the entire human DNA sequence to pinpoint which genes might be involved. They found a new region on chromosome 1 that appeared to influence LDL cholesterol. (BBC News -- Health)
