Genetics - May 31, 2017 Edition

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	Genetics
	The latest Genetics news from News Medical

	Researchers discover cardioprotective genetic variant in isolated Greek population A genetic variant that protects the heart against cardiovascular disease has been discovered by researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators.

	Gene editing technology can introduce hundreds of unintended mutations, study shows As CRISPR-Cas9 starts to move into clinical trials, a new study published in Nature Methods has found that the gene-editing technology can introduce hundreds of unintended mutations into the genome.

			UNC researchers discover cascade of gene activity during journey to maturation in fruit flies Every animal starts as a clump of cells, which over time multiply and mature into many different types of cells, tissues, and organs.

			Study finds two genetic variants linked to bicuspid aortic valve development Researchers are working to determine why the aortic valve doesn't form correctly in patients with the most common congenital heart defect: bicuspid aortic valve.

			UCLA study characterizes brain differences between people with genetic risk for schizophrenia, autism A UCLA study characterizes, for the first time, brain differences between people with a specific genetic risk for schizophrenia and those at risk for autism, and the findings could help explain the biological underpinnings of these neuropsychiatric disorders.

	Genetic Mutation Associated with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy, also known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), is associated with high mortality in young athletes. There is speculation that, in addition to disturbances of calcium handling proteins, a genetic mutation may be involved in the pathogenesis of HCM.

	CRISPR may not be as foolproof as earlier believed – gene editing tech leads to unwanted mutations CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary new gene-editing technology that has been called “molecular scissors” and has been one of the handiest tools for genetic engineers in the recent times. It makes cutting and pasting gene sequences almost as easy as it sounds. CRISPR has been hailed as a breakthrough in genetic engineering.

	Genetic sequencing reveals how Zika virus spread in the Americas Genetic analysis of samples collected as the Zika virus (ZIKV) spread throughout the Americas after its introduction in 2013 or 2014 has shown that the virus circulated undetected for up to a year in some regions before it came to the attention of public health authorities.

	Raising age limit for routine genetic testing in colorectal cancer could identify more cases of Lynch syndrome Raising the age limit for routine genetic testing in colorectal cancer could identify more cases of families affected by Lynch syndrome, a condition that accounts for around 5% of all colon cancers, according to new research to be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday).

	GW researcher receives NIH funding to explore ways for standardization of cancer genomics data One of the biggest challenges facing cancer genomics researchers is the lack normalized data on cancer genes. Multitudes of genomics projects have been funded over the years that have resulted in data being placed on several different databases, making a wide array of data and annotations difficult to integrate and compare.

	Scientists identify key gene in 22q11.2 that contributes to genitourinary birth defects The 22q11.2 region of human chromosome 22 is a hotspot for a variety of birth defects. Scientists learned about this region because it is deleted in about 1 in 4,000 births, causing the loss or duplication of up to 40 genes.

	Scientists identify genetic risk factor for equine squamous cell carcinoma Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common cancer found in equine eyes and the second most common tumor of the horse overall. Thanks to a recent genetic study led by UC Davis, horse owners can now identify horses at risk for ocular SCC and make informed breeding decisions.

	Prolaris becomes first genetic test to receive Medicare coverage for favorable intermediate and low-risk prostate cancer Myriad Genetics, Inc., a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, today announced that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor that assesses molecular diagnostic technologies, has issued a positive final Local Coverage Determination to expand Medicare coverage of the Prolaris test.

	Open-access BRCA testing for inherited breast cancer enables identification of missed carriers Ashkenazi Jewish women are known to have a predisposition to the inherited breast cancers BRCA1 and BRCA2, but currently genetic testing in this group is limited to women affected by breast and ovarian cancers and those who are unaffected but have a family history of the disease.

	Innate genetic advantage contributes to better outcomes in newborn infant girls than boys, research shows Newborn infant girls have better outcomes than their male counterparts due to an innate genetic advantage in responding to acute infections, according to new research from RCSI.

	Drug treatment used for other conditions can help women combat urinary incontinence Urinary incontinence in women is common, with almost 50% of adult women experiencing leakage at least occasionally. Genetic or heritable factors are known to contribute to half of all cases, but until now studies had failed to identify the genetic variants associated with the condition.

	Kyoto University researchers identify specific gene as key regulator in iron uptake Maintaining a good balance of iron in the body is necessary for health: too little can lead to anemia, but too much can cause debilitating disorders such as hemochromatosis.

	Preliminary study: Co-occurrence of COMT and BRCA 1/2 variants may reduce breast cancer incidence Research looking at genomic data from women with a genetic risk for breast cancer, who may never develop cancer, found their cancer-free state may be related to a second genetic variation.

	DNA microarray The microarray is a recently developed technology used in cancer research and in the pharmacological treatment of other diseases such as oral lesions. In this technology, a microscope slide (normally a 2D array made of glass, silicon chips, or nylon membrane) printed with thousands of minute spots in definite positions is used.

	Smart temperature control enhances PCR sample preparation Who said you can’t teach and old dog new tricks? Latest advancements say otherwise One of the most widely used techniques in molecular biology is polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a method used to amplify small sections of DNA or RNA in a sample by adding primers, nucleotides, DNA polymerase and other reagents.

	Study reveals how enzyme allows brain tumors to grow despite harsh surroundings All cancer tumors have one thing in common – they must feed themselves to grow and spread, a difficult feat since they are usually in a tumor microenvironment with limited nutrients and oxygen.

	Obesity causes poorer cardiovascular health in young adults Copenhagen, Denmark: Higher than normal body mass index (BMI) is known to lead to cardiovascular ill-health in mid-to-late life, but there has been limited investigation of its effect in young, apparently healthy, adults.

	Investigational compound inhibits cancer-specific mutations in mice Many malignancies develop as a result of genetic alterations in individual cells. These gene mutations often cause altered proteins that give new, growth-promoting properties to the cell.