Gene Expression News and Research

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Gene Expression is the process by which a gene gets turned on in a cell to make RNA and proteins. Gene expression may be measured by looking at the RNA, or the protein made from the RNA, or what the protein does in a cell.

Mucosal delivery of IFNs a good strategy for COVID-19 prophylaxis post-exposure

Researchers from the UK and Germany recently reported a comprehensive characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 response of human nasal epithelial cells, revealing a response dominated by IFN-I/IIIs. Also, recombinant IFN-I/III treatment was found to efficiently block the replication of SARS-CoV-2, which suggests that mucosal delivery of IFNs may be a good strategy for prophylaxis post-exposure.

22 Feb 2021

Eating low-quality diet during pregnancy is linked to late-childhood obesity

Eating a low quality diet, high in foods and food components associated with chronic inflammation, during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of obesity and excess body fat in children, especially during late-childhood. The findings are published the open access journal BMC Medicine.

21 Feb 2021

Scientists describe genetic mechanisms behind mating process of ciliates

Conjugation (or mating) of ciliates is a unique phenomenon among living beings. They have sex not for reproduction or pleasure — they seek to increase genetic variation.

20 Feb 2021

Researchers find CXCR6 gene plays a role in COVID-19 severity

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study demonstrating that a gene called CXCR6 (C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 6) may play an important role in determining the severity of COVID-19.

19 Feb 2021

Researchers develop new tool to decipher cellular conversations

An interdisciplinary team of biologists and mathematicians at the University of California, Irvine has developed a new tool to help decipher the language cells use to communicate with one another.

18 Feb 2021

Polycomb complexes found to be essential for proper skin development

Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that Polycomb complexes, groups of proteins that maintain gene expression patterns, are essential for proper skin development, according to a paper published in Genes & Development on February 18.

18 Feb 2021

New method uses DNA biomarkers to flag prenatal environmental exposures in children

Scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health developed a method using a DNA biomarker to easily screen pregnant women for harmful prenatal environmental contaminants like air pollution linked to childhood illness and developmental disorders.

17 Feb 2021

Study shows how SARS-CoV-2 uses an immune system defense for replication

The immune system actually wants to fight SARS-CoV-2 with antiviral signaling molecules. But a research team from Charité and MDC has now shown how such a signaling molecule can promote the replication of the virus. The results have been published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.

17 Feb 2021

Researchers study host and viral transcriptomes in tandem to shed light on SARS-CoV-2 infection

In a new study, researchers discuss the use of simultaneous sequencing of both human and viral genes to better understand SARS-CoV-2's infection pathway.

15 Feb 2021

A machine learning approach to identify drugs that could be repurposed to fight COVID-19

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, doctors and researchers rushed to find effective treatments. There was little time to spare.

15 Feb 2021

New mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection reflects features of human infection

Now, a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server reports the development of a modified mouse model that allows productive SARS-CoV-2 infection of the mouse lungs, as well as the exploration of type I and III interferon responses in this condition.

14 Feb 2021

LMU researchers study T cell exhaustion

T lymphocytes, or T cells, are an important component of our immune system. They can recognize foreign proteins, so-called antigens, as peptide fragments - for instance, those derived from viruses or cancer cells.

13 Feb 2021

Study describes mechanism that limits immunosupressive activity of tumor-associated macrophages

Tumor cells are able to avoid the attack of the immune system through several mechanisms. For instance, these can secrete factors that turn macrophages -cells in the immune system- into dual action agents that contribute to the tumor progress and will protect it from immune body defenses: these become, thus, the tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).

13 Feb 2021

Study reveals detailed map of glioblastoma in genetic, molecular detail

Glioblastoma is among the most aggressive and devastating of cancers. While rare compared with other cancers, it's the most common type of brain cancer.

12 Feb 2021

Exercise during pregnancy may help mitigate negative effects of parental obesity in children

New research in mice suggests that exercising during pregnancy may help prevent children- especially boys- from developing health problems related to their parents' obesity. The study is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

11 Feb 2021

Researchers find a way to measure key characteristics of proteins that bind to RNA

A team of Case Western Reserve University researchers has found a way to measure key characteristics of proteins that bind to RNA in cells--a discovery that could improve our understanding of how gene function is disturbed in cancer, neurodegenerative disorders or infections.

11 Feb 2021

Scientists publish new analysis of most diverse genetic data set

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and their colleagues published a new analysis today in the journal Nature from genetic sequencing data of more than 53,000 individuals, primarily from minority populations.

10 Feb 2021

Researchers summarize underlying mechanisms and applications of sonoporation in cellular regulation

Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. In this review article the authors Yue Li, Zhiyi Chen and Shuping Ge from First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, China and Tower Health and Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA summarize current state of the art applications of microbubble-cell interactions and sonoporation effects to cellular functions.

10 Feb 2021

Modified CRISPR/Cas9 complex targets specific histones

Finding a needle in a haystack is hard enough. But try finding a specific molecule on the needle.

9 Feb 2021

Study identifies major flaws in iBMEC-based models of the blood-brain barrier

A type of cell derived from human stem cells that has been widely used for brain research and drug development may have been leading researchers astray for years, according to a study from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

9 Feb 2021