ScienceDaily: Gene News

New approach to improving treatment for MS and other conditions

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Working with lab mice models of multiple sclerosis (MS), scientists have detected a novel molecular target for the design of drugs that could be safer and more effective than current FDA-approved medications against MS.

Gene involved in neurodegeneration keeps clock running: Scientists identify another gene important to morning wake-up call

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Scientists have shown a gene involved in neurodegenerative disease also plays a critical role in the proper function of the circadian clock. In a study of the common fruit fly, the researchers found the gene, called Ataxin-2, keeps the clock responsible for sleeping and waking on a 24-hour rhythm. Without the gene, the rhythm of the fruit fly's sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, making waking up on a regular schedule difficult for the fly.

Returning genetic incidental findings without patient consent violates basic rights, experts say

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT

Scientists push back against recent American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommendations, and offer compelling reasons why patient autonomy must remain firmly in place as science advances.

Study brings greater understanding of tumor growth mechanism

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT

A new study has for the first time revealed how the loss of a particular tumor suppressing protein leads to the abnormal growth of tumors of the brain and nervous system.

Genetic risk for schizophrenia is connected to reduced IQ

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:53 EDT

The relationship between the heritable risk for schizophrenia and low intelligence (IQ) has not been clear. Schizophrenia is commonly associated with cognitive impairments that may cause functional disability. Researchers have now found that individuals with a higher genetic risk for schizophrenia had a lower IQ at age 70 but not at age 11.

Four genes identified that influence levels of 'bad' cholesterol

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Scientists have identified four genes in baboons that influence levels of “bad” cholesterol. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs to reduce the risk of heart disease.

No idle chatter: Malaria parasites 'talk' to each other

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Scientists have made the surprise discovery that malaria parasites can 'talk' to each other -- a social behavior to ensure the parasite's survival and improve its chances of being transmitted to other humans. The finding could provide a niche for developing antimalarial drugs and vaccines that prevent or treat the disease by cutting these communication networks.

Human skin cells converted into embryonic stem cells: First time human stem cells have been produced via nuclear transfer

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

Scientists have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to become embryonic stem cells capable of transforming into any other cell type in the body. It is believed that stem cell therapies hold the promise of replacing cells damaged through injury or illness. Diseases or conditions that might be treated through stem cell therapy include Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiac disease and spinal cord injuries.

Collecting DNA for human rights: How to help while safeguarding privacy

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

DNA databases might help identify victims of crime and human trafficking, but how do we safeguard the personal privacy of innocent victims and family members? A new report identifies a number of key challenges to consider as experts develop such programs.

Study IDs key protein for cell death

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:06:06 EDT

Findings may offer a new way to kill cancer cells by forcing them into an alternative programmed-death pathway.

Newly described type of immune cell and T cells share similar path to maturity

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:43:43 EDT

Innate lymphoid cells protect boundary tissues such as the skin, lung, and the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease. Researchers have found that maturation of ILC2s requires T-cell factor 1 to move forward. They describe that one mechanism used to build ILCs is the same as that in T cells. Both cell types use a protein pathway centered on Notch.

Using clay to grow bone: Researchers use synthetic silicate to stimulate stem cells into bone cells

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:54:54 EDT

Medical researchers report that synthetic silicate nanoplatelets (also known as layered clay) can induce stem cells to become bone cells without the need of additional bone-inducing factors.

Cutting-edge bacteria research leads to more effective treatment of complex infections

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:32:32 EDT

Bacteria play a huge role when inflammations attack our body. Now researchers have succeeded in revealing one of the devastating effects of bacteria, and thus it will be possible for the pharmaceutical industry to treat even very complicated bacterial infections.

Master regulator that drives majority of lymphoma discovered

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

A soon-to-be-tested class of drug inhibitors were predicted to help a limited number of patients with B-cell lymphomas with mutations affecting the EZH2 protein. However medical researchers now report that these agents may, in fact, help a much broader cross section of lymphoma patients.

Out of sync: Body clocks altered at cell level in depression

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:23:23 EDT

Every cell in our bodies runs on a 24-hour clock, tuned to the night-day, light-dark cycles that have ruled us since the dawn of humanity. But new research shows that the clock may be broken in the brains of people with depression -- even at the level of the gene activity inside their brain cells.

Bird flu in live poultry markets are the source of viruses causing human infections

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:09:09 EDT

On 31 March 2013, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission announced human cases of novel H7N9 influenza virus infections. Scientists have now investigated the origins of this novel H7N9 influenza virus.

Non-inherited mutations account for many heart defects

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:12:12 EDT

New mutations that are absent in parents but appear in their offspring account for at least 10 percent of severe congenital heart disease, reveals a massive genomics study.

Four new genetic risk factors for testicular cancer identified

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:12:12 EDT

A new study looking at the genomes of more than 13,000 men identified four new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer, the most commonly diagnosed type in young men today.

Gene associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis identified

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:09:09 EDT

Researchers have identified the first gene to be associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (also called AIS) across Asian and Caucasian populations. The gene is involved in the growth and development of the spine during childhood.

Spontaneous mutations play a key role in congenital heart disease

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:06:06 EDT

Although genetic factors contribute to congenital heart disease, many children born with heart defects have healthy parents and siblings, suggesting that new mutations that arise spontaneously —- known as de novo mutations —- might contribute to the disease. New research shows that about 10 percent of these defects are caused by genetic mutations that are absent in the parents of affected children.

Research on cilia heats up: Implications for hearing, vision loss and kidney disease

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:06:06 EDT

Experiments have unearthed clues about which protein signaling molecules are allowed into hollow, hair-like “antennae,” called cilia, that alert cells to critical changes in their environments.

Potential flu pandemic lurks: Influenza viruses circulating in pigs, birds could pose risk to humans

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:02:02 EDT

In the summer of 1968, a new strain of influenza appeared in Hong Kong. This strain, known as H3N2, spread around the globe and eventually killed an estimated 1 million people. A new study reveals that there are many strains of H3N2 circulating in birds and pigs that are genetically similar to the 1968 strain and have the potential to generate a pandemic if they leap to humans. The researchers also found that current flu vaccines might not offer protection against these strains.

Possible reason for cholesterol-drug side effects such as memory loss

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:01:01 EDT

Researchers have identified a clue to explain the reversible memory loss sometimes caused by the use of statins, one of the most widely prescribed medications. Unusual swellings within neurons, which the team has termed the "beads-on-a-string" effect, may be linked to the cognitive decline some patients experience while taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

New discovery may lead the way to improved whooping cough vaccine

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:44:44 EDT

Scientists have made novel discoveries concerning the current vaccine against whooping cough that may lead to the development of an improved future vaccine.

Discovery pinpoints cause of two types of leukemia

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:21:21 EDT

Patients with two forms of leukemia, who currently have no viable treatment options, may benefit from existing drugs developed for different types of cancer, according to a new study.

Link between tumor suppressors and starvation survival suggested

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:21:21 EDT

A particular tumor suppressor gene that fights cancer cells does more than clamp down on unabated cell division -- the hallmark of the disease -- it also can help make cells more fit by allowing them to fend off stress, says a new study.

A cautionary tale on genome-sequencing diagnostics for rare diseases

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:56:56 EDT

Researchers have discover that several children born with rare diseases called congenital disorders of glycosylation don't contain the mutation in every cell type -- raising new questions about inheritance, genomic sequencing, and diagnostics.

Justinianic Plague was caused by bacterium Yersinia pestis, DNA of skeletal remains shows

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:54:54 EDT

Ancient DNA analyses of skeletal remains of plague victims from the 6th century AD provide information about the phylogeny and the place of origin of this pandemic.

Unleashing the watchdog protein: Research opens door to new drug therapies for Parkinson's disease

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:45:45 EDT

Researchers have unlocked a new door to developing drugs to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

New mechanism leading to tumor hypoxia defined

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Hypoxia is a negative prognostic indicator for radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery that predicts for an aggressive and metastatic phenotype. So far, there have been two recognized forms of tumor hypoxia: Diffusion or perfusion limited. Now, scientists have attributed temporal and spatial distribution to tumor hypoxia.

Gene identified, responsible for a spectrum of disorders affecting the bones and connective tissue

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:32:32 EDT

Researchers have identified a gene that when mutated is responsible for a spectrum of disorders affecting the bones and connective tissue. This finding opens new avenues for research into a diagnosis and treatment for these until now incurable diseases.

Epigenomics of stem cells that mimic early human development charted

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Scientists have long known that control mechanisms known collectively as “epigenetics” play a critical role in human development, but they did not know precisely how alterations in this extra layer of biochemical instructions in DNA contribute to development.

Mapping the embryonic epigenome: How genes are turned on and off during early human development

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:36:36 EDT

A large, multi-institutional research team has published a sweeping analysis of how genes are turned on and off to direct early human development.

Research reveals cancer-suppressing protein 'multitasks'

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:35:35 EDT

The understanding of how a powerful protein called p53 protects against cancer development has been upended by a new discovery.

How nerve wiring self-destructs

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:35:35 EDT

Many medical issues affect nerves, from injuries and chemotherapy to glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. The common theme in these scenarios is destruction of nerve axons, the long wires that transmit signals to other parts of the body. Researchers have now found a way the body can remove injured axons, identifying a potential target for new drugs that could prevent the inappropriate loss of axons.

Studies generate comprehensive list of genes required by innate system to defend sex cells

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:35:35 EDT

Investigators have published studies revealing many previously unknown components of an innate system that defends sex cells -- the carriers of inheritance across generations -- from the ravages of transposable genetic elements.

Dad's genome more ready at fertilization than mom's is -- but hers catches up

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

Researchers have discovered that while the genes provided by the father arrive at fertilization pre-programmed to the state needed by the embryo, the genes provided by the mother are in a different state and must be reprogrammed to match.

Advance in tuberous sclerosis brain science

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

By manipulating the timing of disease-causing mutations in the brains of developing mice, researchers have found that early genetic deletions in the thalamus may play an important role in course and severity of the developmental disease tuberous sclerosis complex.

Your immune system: On surveillance in the war against cancer

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

New research looks at gene expression profiling in breast cancer.

Scientists find key to gene-silencing activity

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:32:32 EDT

Scientists have found how to boost or inhibit a gene-silencing mechanism that normally serves as a major controller of cells’ activities. The discovery could lead to a powerful new class of drugs against viral infections, cancers and other diseases.

Game-changing discovery of gene mutation that causes Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Researchers have discovered the cause -- a genetic mutation that occurs before birth -- of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and port-wine stain birthmarks. SWS is a rare disorder affecting approximately one in 20,000 births, while port-wine birthmarks are more common, affecting approximately one million individuals in the United States.

Two genes that combine to cause rare syndrome identified

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Mutations in genes that regulate cellular metabolism found in families with ataxia, dementia and reproductive failure.

Scientists identify early predictors of disease progression which could speed Huntington's disease drug trials

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:30:30 EDT

Scientists have identified a set of tests that could help identify whether and how Huntington’s disease (HD) is progressing in groups of people who are not yet showing symptoms.

Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Like pioneers in search of a better life, bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities, known as biofilms. It turns out that a lucky few bacteria become the elite cells that start the colonies, and they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to the distribution of wealth in the US economy, according to a new study.

Differences between 'marathon mice' and 'couch potato mice' reveal key to muscle fitness

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:26:26 EDT

Using "marathon" and "couch potato" mouse models, researchers have discovered that microRNAs link the defining characteristics of fit muscles: The abilities to burn fuel and switch between muscle fiber types. They also found that active people have higher levels of one microRNA than sedentary people.

Mathematical model measures hidden HIV

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

A new mathematical modeling technique reveals HIV virus may be replicating in body even when undetectable in the blood.

Geneticists find causes for severe childhood epilepsies

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

Using a DNA sequencing technique capable of deciphering all human genes at the same time, researchers have discovered genetic mutations underlying seizure disorders in previously undiagnosed children.

Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

A gene associated with both protection against bacterial infection and excessive blood clotting could offer new insights into treatment strategies for deep-vein thrombosis -- the formation of a harmful clot in a deep vein. The gene produces an enzyme that, if inhibited via a specific drug therapy, could offer hope to patients prone to deep-vein clots, such as those that sometimes form in the legs during lengthy airplane flights or during recuperation after major surgery.

Genes show one big European family

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:56:56 EDT

From Ireland to the Balkans, Europeans are basically one big family, closely related to one another for the past thousand years, according to a new study of the DNA of people from across the continent.

Potential therapeutic target for Cushing's disease

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:42:42 EDT

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified a protein that drives the formation of pituitary tumors in Cushing's disease, a development that may give clinicians a therapeutic target to treat this potentially life-threatening disorder.

Genetic variations associated with susceptibility to bacteria linked to stomach disorders

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:42:42 EDT

Two genome-wide association studies and a subsequent meta-analysis have found that certain genetic variations are associated with susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that is a major cause of gastritis and stomach ulcers and is linked to stomach cancer, findings that may help explain some of the observed variation in individual risk for H pylori infection.

Amplification of a Stat5 gene produces excess oncogenic protein that drives prostate cancer spread

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:49:49 EDT

Scientists have solved the mystery of why a substantial percentage of castrate-resistant metastatic prostate cancer cells contain abnormally high levels of the pro-growth protein Stat5.

MicroRNA cooperation mutes breast cancer oncogenes

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:46:46 EDT

A new study shows that turning up a few microRNAs a little may offer as much anti-breast-cancer activity as turning up one microRNA a lot – and without the unwanted side effects.

Silk and cellulose biologically effective for use in stem cell cartilage repair

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:48:48 EDT

Over 20 million people in Europe suffer from osteoarthritis which can lead to extensive damage to the knee and hip cartilage. Stem cells offer a promising way forward but a key challenge has been to design a 'smart material' that is biologically effective for cartilage tissue regeneration. Now researchers have identified a blend of naturally occurring fibers such as cellulose and silk that makes progress towards affordable and effective cell-based therapy for cartilage repair a step closer.

Stem cell researchers move toward treatments for rare genetic nerve disease

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

Researchers have used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to advance disease-in-a-dish modeling of a rare genetic disorder, Ataxia Telangiectasia. Their discovery shows positive effects of drugs that may lead to effective new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease. iPSC are made from patient skin cells rather than from embryos and can become any type of cells in the laboratory.

New perspective needed for role of major Alzheimer's gene

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:58:58 EDT

Scientists' picture of how a gene strongly linked to Alzheimer's disease harms the brain may have to be revised, researchers have found.

New class of drug targets skin cancer

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:58:58 EDT

A new class of drug targeting skin cancer's genetic material has been successfully tested in humans for the first time, opening the way to new treatments for a range of conditions from skin cancers to eye diseases.

Laminopathies: Key components in the disease mechanism identified

Tue, 07 May 2013 06:08:08 EDT

Laminopathies are hereditary diseases that affect mainly the muscle tissue. These diseases include for example Emery-Dreifuss Muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and Hutchison-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Boosting 'cellular garbage disposal' can delay the aging process

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:16:16 EDT

Biologists have identified a gene, previously implicated in Parkinson's disease, that can delay the onset of aging and extend the healthy life span of fruit flies. This research has important potential implications for aging and disease in humans. The gene, Parkin, serves at least two vital functions. By increasing Parkin activity, the scientists extended the lifespan of the flies by more than 25 percent.

New device can extract human DNA with full genetic data in minutes

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:21:21 EDT

Engineers have created a device that can extract human DNA from fluid samples in a simpler, more efficient and environmentally friendly way than conventional methods.