Humans normally have 46 chromosomes in each cell, divided into 23 pairs. Two copies of chromosome 15, one copy inherited from each parent, form one of the pairs. Chromosome 15 spans about 100 million base pairs (the building blocks of DNA) and represents more than 3 percent of the total DNA in cells.
Identifying genes on each chromosome is an active area of genetic research. Because researchers use different approaches to predict the number of genes on each chromosome, the estimated number of genes varies. Chromosome 15 likely contains between 650 and 1,000 genes.
Genes on chromosome 15 are among the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 total genes in the human genome.
A newly developed test to screen for three rare genetic disorders simultaneously in newborns was feasible, reliable and scalable, according to a new study.
Human brain organoids are remarkable platforms for modeling features of human brain development and diseases.
A new study discusses the origin of the furin cleavage site on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is responsible for the virus’s relatively high infectivity compared to relatives in the betacoronavirus subgenus.
The first biobank in Australia aiming to improve research and treatments into rare genetic diseases caused by changes to genes on chromosome 15, including Prader-Willi Syndrome and Angelman Syndrome, will be established at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
A canine study carried out at the University of Helsinki has described a gene variant in the regulatory region of the retina resulting in the abnormal function of retinal genes and, eventually, in the loss of vision in dogs.
One in every 15,000 children is affected by Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a complex, genetic endocrine condition caused by a disorder of chromosome 15. It's non-inheritable, meaning the condition isn't passed down from a family member.
Today, PWSA (USA) announced its support for H.R.4144 - Ending the Diagnostic Odyssey Act of 2019, a bill to enable States to better provide access to whole genome sequencing clinical services for certain undiagnosed children under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes.
Scientists have identified a specific gene they believe could be a key player in the changes in brain structure seen in several psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and autism.
New funding is enabling Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers to develop new approaches to potentially help people with Prader-Willi syndrome, a devastating and incurable genetic condition.
After 20 years, a patient's family received an answer to a decades-long genetic mystery. Their daughter had two rare disorders, Angelman syndrome and P450scc deficiency, which was detected after researchers found out she had uniparental disomy, two copies of chromosome 15 from one parent and none from another.
Researchers are closer to solving the puzzle of a complex neurological condition called 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Individuals with this condition are missing a small piece of chromosome 15 that usually contains six genes, but which one of the genes is responsible for the clinical characteristics of patients has not been clear.
One often hears about the multitude of genes we have in common with chimps, birds or other living creatures, but such comparisons are sometimes misleading. The shared percentage usually refers only to genes that encode instructions for making proteins -- while overlooking regulatory genes, which nonetheless make up a large part of the genome.
Cigarette smoking accounts for about one-fifth of cases of coronary heart disease, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, but precisely how smoking leads to CHD has long been unclear.
Opitz C syndrome is a genetic disease that causes severe disabilities in patients and has been diagnosed in three people in the Iberian Peninsula, and sixty people in the world.
Duke Health researchers have identified a drug-like small molecule that, in animal experiments, appears to be an effective treatment for a genetic disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome.
Drugs capable of activating silenced genes improve survival and growth outcomes in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare and incurable childhood disease, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Leading scientists have identified an important gene that is associated with cleft lip and palate.Experts say the discovery is a step closer to understanding how this birth defect arises, and will help in the development of medical approaches to prevent the disfiguring condition.
Genes involved in schizophrenia and obesity have been highlighted in a new UCL study, which could lead to a better understanding of the DNA variants which affect risk of these conditions and aid the development of improved strategies for prevention and treatment.
Rhythm announced today the initiation of two Phase 2 clinical trials focused on evaluating the safety and effectiveness of setmelanotide (RM-493), the company's novel melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) agonist, for the treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and POMC-null obesity.
Monitoring participants' biological clocks may be the quickest way to determine the effectiveness of experimental drugs currently under development to treat Angelman syndrome: a debilitating genetic disorder that occurs in more than one in every 15,000 live births.