DNA News and Research

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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Genes add up risk of autoimmune disease

Geneticists have identified a link between the number of copies of a specific gene an individual has and their susceptibility to autoimmune diseases like lupus.

22 May 2007

Suicide gene therapy kills bowel cancer cells

An innovative type of gene therapy has for the first time succeeded in making bowel cancer cells commit suicide, according to a report in Cancer Research.

20 May 2007

Newly discovered WU virus may explain some respiratory infections

An ongoing effort to identify the microorganisms that make us sick has discovered a new virus potentially linked to unexplained respiratory infections.

18 May 2007

Study breaks link between lycopene and prostate cancer prevention

Tomatoes might be nutritious and tasty, but don't count on them to prevent prostate cancer.

18 May 2007

Latent memory of cells comes to life

New Danish research has examined the mechanisms behind latent cell memory, which can come to life and cause previously non-existent capacities suddenly to appear.

18 May 2007

New computational system identifies viruses and bacteria

Now that the genome sequences of hundreds of bacteria and viruses are known, we can design tests that will rapidly detect the presence of these species based solely on their DNA.

18 May 2007

First draft of the genome sequence of Aedes aegypti mosquito

Developing new strategies to prevent and control yellow fever and dengue fever has become more possible with the completion of the first draft of the genome sequence of Aedes aegypti mosquito by scientists led by Vishvanath Nene at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and David Severson at the University of Notre Dame.

18 May 2007

Some NSAIDs may be better suited to treating cancer

Until recently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and celecoxib (sold as Celebrex), were being hailed as promising cancer prevention drugs.

18 May 2007

Scientists convert the sequence of proteins into music

UCLA molecular biologists have turned protein sequences into original compositions of classical music.

17 May 2007

Study of unexplained respiratory infections leads researchers to new virus

An ongoing effort to identify the microorganisms that make us sick has discovered a new virus potentially linked to unexplained respiratory infections.

17 May 2007

Nutrition and heredity genetically linked

A challenging goal in biology is to understand how the principal cellular functions are integrated so that cells achieve viability and optimal fitness under a wide range of nutritional conditions.

17 May 2007

New findings on microRNAs

Over 30% of our genes are under the control of small molecules called microRNAs.

17 May 2007

Promoter hypermethylation is common in breast cancer

Cancer epidemiologists at the University at Buffalo have identified specific genes that are most likely to become cancer promoters when exposed to a process called DNA promoter hypermethylation.

17 May 2007

Project aims to develop stem cell lines that genetically match human patients

These lines would allow scientists to better study conditions ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's disease, and they would provide the basis for potential patient-specific stem cell treatments.

17 May 2007

Radically different approach to nuclear magnetic resonance

Detecting the molecular structure of a tiny protein using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) currently requires two things: a million-dollar machine the size of a massive SUV, and a large sample of the protein under study.

16 May 2007

Researchers identify genetic markers associated with breast cancer tumor grade and lymph node metastases

Researchers have identified genetic markers on several chromosomes in the tissue surrounding tumor cells that are associated with breast cancer tumor grade and the presence of lymph node metastases, according to a study in the May 16 issue of JAMA.

16 May 2007

Engineered minichromosomes for medically useful proteins and metabolites

A team of scientists at the University of Missouri-Columbia has discovered a way to create engineered minichromosomes in maize and attach genes to those minichromosomes.

16 May 2007

Inherited variations in certain genes linked to toxicity of leukemia therapy

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered inherited variations in certain genes that make children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) susceptible to the toxic side effects caused by chemotherapy medications.

15 May 2007

Specific genes identified that are most likely to become cancer promoters when exposed to DNA promoter hypermethylation

Hypermethylation is a process that causes genes that promote normal cell growth to produce proteins that cause malignant behavior, or unregulated cell growth. Until now, data has been very limited regarding the mechanism and causes of hypermethylation, especially for hypermethylation in breast cancer.

15 May 2007