Genes News and Research

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Ongoing pressures of human evolution could explain rise in disorders; scientists call for broader perspective

The subtle but ongoing pressures of human evolution could explain the seeming rise of disorders such as autism, autoimmune diseases, and reproductive cancers, researchers write in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

12 Jan 2010

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme promotes chromosome missegregation and tumor formation

A ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that regulates the cell cycle promotes chromosome missegregation and tumor formation, according to van Ree et al. in the January 11 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (www.jcb.org).

12 Jan 2010

Protein bits produced by unusual "reading" of HIV genome can induce immune responses

Two new studies showing that protein bits produced by unusual "reading" of the HIV genome can induce immune responses will appear online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine on Jan. 11 (www.jem.org).

12 Jan 2010

Multigene test results impact physicians and patients' decisions on breast cancer therapy

A 21-gene test that predicts whether early stage breast cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy is having a big impact on treatment decisions by patients and doctors alike.

12 Jan 2010

Mirna Therapeutics receives ETF award to develop miRNA therapeutics for multiple cancers

Mirna Therapeutics announced today that the Company received a $5 million award from the State of Texas through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (“ETF”). The ETF was created with the goal of growing new and existing businesses to accelerate the introduction of new products and services in the marketplace. This is the largest award of this type that has ever been granted.

11 Jan 2010

Common brain tumour in children can arise from stem cells

New research from scientists at Queen Mary, University of London shows how the most common type of children's brain cancer can arise from stem cells.

11 Jan 2010

New breakthroughs in AS genome-wide association study

Work done in part by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has led to the discovery of two new genes that are implicated in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory and potentially disabling disease. In addition, the international research team pinpointed two areas along stretches of DNA that play an important role in regulating gene activity associated with the arthritic condition.

10 Jan 2010

Autism spectrum disorders result from miswiring of connections in developing brain

Studying a rare disorder known as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), researchers at Children's Hospital Boston add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that autism spectrum disorders, which affect 25 to 50 percent of TSC patients, result from a miswiring of connections in the developing brain, leading to improper information flow.

10 Jan 2010

Gene therapy may help correct molecular flaws that cause brain disease

Neuroscientists have forged an unlikely molecular union as part of their fight against diseases of the brain and nervous system.

9 Jan 2010

Scientists identify gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle

Scientists have identified a gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle. The finding, they say, illustrates how investigations of rare genetic diseases can drive insights into more common ones.

8 Jan 2010

Zebrafish publishes special issue on cancer biology

The zebrafish, a translucent fish often used as a model of human development and disease, offers unique advantages for studying the cause, growth, and spread of tumors using strategies and methods presented in the current "Cancer Biology" special issue of Zebrafish, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The entire issue is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/zeb

8 Jan 2010

Researchers devise method to pinpoint key genetic variations under positive natural selection that may impact human health

Fossils may provide tantalizing clues to human history but they also lack some vital information, such as revealing which pieces of human DNA have been favored by evolution because they confer beneficial traits - resistance to infection or the ability to digest milk, for example. These signs can only be revealed through genetic studies of modern humans and other related species, though the task has proven difficult.

8 Jan 2010

Researchers discover rules that dictate the three-dimensional shapes of RNA molecules

University of Michigan researchers have discovered the rules that dictate the three-dimensional shapes of RNA molecules, rules that are based not on complex chemical interactions but simply on geometry.

8 Jan 2010

Gene modification of human embryonic stem cells may yield potential treatments for genetic diseases

Biologists have developed an efficient way to genetically modify human embryonic stem cells. Their approach, which uses bacterial artificial chromosomes to swap in defective copies of genes, will make possible the rapid development of stem cell lines that can both serve as models for human genetic diseases and as testbeds on which to screen potential treatments, they say.

8 Jan 2010

Epigenetic diagnosis and therapies, a new strategy for treating cancer

A tumor's genetic profile is often useful when diagnosing and deciding on treatment for certain cancers, but inexplicably, genetically similar leukemias in different patients do not always respond well to the same therapy.

7 Jan 2010

Mutations in genome regulation machinery identified in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

In a new study, scientists have searched for mutations in the gene regions of more than 100 kidney cancer samples, the largest number of samples from a single tumour type to be sequenced to date.

7 Jan 2010

Protein complex proves valuable for changing cell fate

The DNA contained within each of our cells is exactly the same, yet different types of cells - skin cells, heart cells, brain cells - perform very different functions. The ultimate fate of these cells is encoded not just in the DNA, but in a specific pattern of chemical modifications that overlay the DNA structure.

7 Jan 2010

Response Genetics and Genetic Technologies sign exclusive distribution and services agreement

Response Genetics Inc., a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests for cancer, and Genetic Technologies Ltd. (ASX: GTG; NASDAQ: GENE), the leading private genetic testing laboratory in Australia, today announced an exclusive distribution and services agreement.

7 Jan 2010

Study explains how H. pylori infection causes stomach cancer

Researchers report that Helicobacter pylori, the only bacterium known to survive in the harsh environment of the human stomach, directly activates an enzyme in host cells that has been associated with several types of cancer, including gastric cancer.

7 Jan 2010

New tools show potential for treating brain disorders

Neuroscientists at MIT have developed a powerful new class of tools to reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light.

7 Jan 2010

Genes News and Research

Ongoing pressures of human evolution could explain rise in disorders; scientists call for broader perspective

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme promotes chromosome missegregation and tumor formation

Protein bits produced by unusual "reading" of HIV genome can induce immune responses

Multigene test results impact physicians and patients' decisions on breast cancer therapy

Mirna Therapeutics receives ETF award to develop miRNA therapeutics for multiple cancers

Common brain tumour in children can arise from stem cells

New breakthroughs in AS genome-wide association study

Autism spectrum disorders result from miswiring of connections in developing brain

Gene therapy may help correct molecular flaws that cause brain disease

Scientists identify gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle

Zebrafish publishes special issue on cancer biology

Researchers devise method to pinpoint key genetic variations under positive natural selection that may impact human health

Researchers discover rules that dictate the three-dimensional shapes of RNA molecules

Gene modification of human embryonic stem cells may yield potential treatments for genetic diseases

Epigenetic diagnosis and therapies, a new strategy for treating cancer

Mutations in genome regulation machinery identified in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Protein complex proves valuable for changing cell fate

Response Genetics and Genetic Technologies sign exclusive distribution and services agreement

Study explains how H. pylori infection causes stomach cancer

New tools show potential for treating brain disorders

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