Labslink Research News

The developmental genetics of space and time

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:34:29 PDT

Albert Erives, associate professor in the University of Iowa Department of Biology, and his graduate student, Justin Crocker, currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Janelia Farm Research Campus, have conducted a study that reveals important and useful insights into how and why developmental genes often take inputs from two independent “morphogen concentration gradients.”........> Full story

'Dark genome' is involved in Rett Syndrome

Thu, 02 May 2013 16:15:35 PDT

Researchers at the Epigenetics and Cancer Biology Program at IDIBELL led by Manel Esteller, ICREA researcher and professor of genetics at the University of Barcelona, have described alterations in noncoding long chain RNA sequences (lncRNA) in Rett syndrome........> Full story

Epileptic seizures can propagate using functional brain networks

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:03:16 PDT

The seizures that affect people with temporal-lobe epilepsy usually start in a region of the brain called the hippocampus. But they are often able to involve other areas outside the temporal lobe, propagating via anatomically and functionally connected networks in the brain. New research findings that link decreased brain cell concentration to altered functional connectivity in temporal........> Full story

Prostate cancer risk rises in men with inherited genetic condition

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:17:56 PDT

Men with an inherited genetic condition called Lynch syndrome face a higher lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer and appear to develop the disease at an earlier age, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.......> Full story

Endangered lemurs' genomes sequenced

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:13:13 PDT

For the first time, the complete genomes of three populations of aye-ayes--a type of lemur--have been sequenced and analyzed. The results of the genome-sequence analyses are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).......> Full story

Found a genetic mutation causing mental retardation very similar to Angelman syndrome in Amish

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:36:00 PDT

Researchers from the research group in growth factors and cell differentiation at IDIBELL and the University of Barcelona (UB) have participated in an international study that has identified the genetic cause of developmental delay observed in Amish individuals in the USA. The research results have been published in the Journal of Medical Genetics.......> Full story

Why a hereditary anemia is caused by genetic mutation in mechanically sensitive ion channel

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:17:27 PDT

A genetic mutation that alters the kinetics of an ion channel in red blood cells has been identified as the cause behind a hereditary anemia, according to a paper published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by University at Buffalo scientists and colleagues........> Full story

Clues to chromosome crossovers

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:29:08 PDT

Neil Hunter’s laboratory in the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences has placed another piece in the puzzle of how sexual reproduction shuffles genes while making sure sperm and eggs get the right number of chromosomes.......> Full story

USC researchers find possible genetic clues to organ development, birth defects

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:36:01 PDT

Using cutting-edge time-lapse photography, Keck School of Medicine researchers have discovered clues to the development of the head at the cellular level, which could point scientists to a better understanding of how organs and birth defects form in humans.......> Full story

Mitochondrial mutations: When the cell's 2 genomes collide

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:19:57 PDT

Diseases from a mutation in one genome are complicated enough, but some illnesses arise from errant interactions between two genomes: the DNA in the nucleus and in the mitochondria. Scientists want to know more about how such genomic disconnects cause disease. In a step in that direction, scientists at Brown University and Indiana University have traced one such incompatibility in fruit flies down to the level of individual nucleotide mutations and describe how the genetic double whammy makes the flies sick.......> Full story

GW professor discovers new information in the understanding of autism and genetics

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:45:27 PDT

Research out of the George Washington University (GW), published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals another piece of the puzzle in a genetic developmental disorder that causes behavioral diseases such as autism. Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and physiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS).......> Full story

Genome decoded: Scientists find clues to more disease-resistant watermelons

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 14:55:10 PDT

Are juicier, sweeter, more disease-resistant watermelons on the way? An international consortium of more than 60 scientists from the United States, China, and Europe has published the genome sequence of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) — information that could dramatically accelerate watermelon breeding toward production of a more nutritious, tastier and more resistant fruit. The watermelon genome sequence was published in the Nov. 25 online version of the journal Nature Genetics........> Full story

USDA funded research leads to key discoveries in the pig genome

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:34:10 PDT

Research conducted and supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has led to a new analysis of the pig genome, revealing new similarities between pigs and humans that could potentially advance biomedical research significantly. Additional findings from the study, reported today in the journal Nature, may also lead to better breeding strategies, improved pork production and improvements to human health. The research was conducted by a global team of scientists as part of the International Swine Genome Sequence Consortium........> Full story

World's largest respiratory genetics study launches on World COPD Day

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:24:56 PDT

Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester are leading the largest ever study of the genetics relating to lung disease.......> Full story

Weber State Scientists discover possible building blocks of ancient genetic systems

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:45:58 PDT

Scientists believe that prior to the advent of DNA as the earth’s primary genetic material, early forms of life used RNA to encode genetic instructions. What sort of genetic molecules did life
rely on before RNA?.......> Full story

Breast cancer cells enticed to spread by 'tumorous environment' as well as genetic changes

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:09:07 PDT

A new study from Johns Hopkins researchers suggests that the lethal spread of breast cancer is as dependent on a tumor’s protein-rich environment as on genetic changes inside tumor cells.......> Full story

U of M scientist contributes to mapping of barley genome

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:32:20 PDT

An international team of researchers, including a University of Minnesota scientist, has developed an integrated physical, genetic and functional sequence assembly of the barley genome, one of the world’s most important and genetically complex cereal crops. Results are published in today’s issue of Nature........> Full story

No evidence for 30-nm chromatin fibers in the mouse genome

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:51:45 PDT

Scientists in Canada and the United States have used three-dimensional imaging techniques to settle a long-standing debate about how DNA and structural proteins are packaged into chromatin fibres. The researchers, whose findings are published in EMBO reports, reveal that the mouse genome consists of 10-nm chromatin fibres but did not find evidence for the wider 30-nm fibres that were previously thought to be important components of the DNA architecture........> Full story

Diseases of aging map to a few 'hotspots' on the human genome

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:28:59 PDT

Researchers have long known that individual diseases are associated with genes in specific locations of the genome. Genetics researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine now have shown definitively that a small number of places......> Full story

How genetics shape our addictions

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:52:29 PDT

Have you ever wondered why some people find it so much easier to stop smoking than others? New research shows that vulnerability to smoking addiction is shaped by our genes. A study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro, McGill University shows that people with genetically fast nicotine metabolism........> Full story

Researchers identify biochemical functions for most of the human genome

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:25:22 PDT

Only about 1 percent of the human genome contains gene regions that code for proteins, raising the question of what the rest of the DNA is doing. Scientists have now begun to discover the answer: About 80 percent of the genome is biochemically active, and likely involved in regulating the expression of nearby genes, according to a study from a large international team of researchers........> Full story

Biophysicists unravel secrets of genetic switch

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:25:52 PDT

When an invading bacterium or virus starts rummaging through the contents of a cell nucleus, using proteins like tiny hands to rearrange the host’s DNA strands, it can alter the host’s biological course. The invading proteins use specific binding, firmly grabbing onto particular sequences of DNA,......> Full story

More clues about why chimps and humans are genetically different

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:38:38 PDT

Ninety-six percent of a chimpanzee’s genome is the same as a human’s. It’s the other 4 percent, and the vast differences, that pique the interest of Georgia Tech’s Soojin Yi. For instance, why do humans have a high risk of cancer, even though chimps rarely develop the disease?........> Full story

Study of fruit fly chromosomes improves understanding of evolution and fertility

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 18:00:00 PDT

The propagation of every animal on the planet is the result of sexual activity between males and females of a given species. But how did things get this way? Why two sexes instead of one? Why are sperm necessary for reproduction and how did they evolve?........> Full story

Turning off key piece of genetic coding eliminates toxic effect of statins, SLU research finds

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:45:57 PDT

In research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association and published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, Saint Louis University investigator Ángel Baldán, Ph.D., found that the microRNA miR-33 plays a key role in regulating bile metabolism. Further, the research suggests that, in an animal model, the manipulation of this microRNA can improve the liver toxicity that can be caused by statins.......> Full story

DNA sequenced for parrot's ability to parrot

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:27:34 PDT

Scientists say they have assembled more completely the string of genetic letters that could control how well parrots learn to imitate their owners and other sounds. The research team unraveled the specific regions of the parrots' genome using a new technology, single molecule sequencing, and fixing its flaws with data from older DNA-decoding devices. The team also decoded hard-to-sequence genetic material from corn and bacteria as proof of their new sequencing approach........> Full story

Short stretches of piRNA evaluate cells' genetic history

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:05:43 PDT

As scientists have added to a growing list of types of RNA molecules with roles that go beyond conveying the genetic code, they have found the short strands known as Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) particularly perplexing. New work from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists suggests.......> Full story

Programmable RNA complex could speed genome editing in the lab

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:03:57 PDT

For bacteria, snipping apart DNA that bears certain signature sequences is a defense mechanism. For scientists working in the lab, the same strategy can be a powerful research tool.......> Full story

Scientists sequence genome of human relative that prefers love over war

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:13:25 PDT

An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of the bonobo, a primate that, along with chimpanzees, is the closest living relative of humans. Unlike chimpanzees, which have an aggressive nature, bonobos tend to be peaceful, playful and highly sexual.........> Full story

Scientists make groundbreaking discovery of mutation-causing genetic disorder in humans

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:31:20 PDT

Scientists at A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), in collaboration with doctors and scientists in Jordan, Turkey, Switzerland and USA, have identified the genetic cause of a birth defect known as Hamamy syndrome. Their groundbreaking findings were published on May13^th in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics........> Full story

Promiscuous queen bees maintain genetic diversity

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:37:44 PDT

By mating with nearly 100 males, queen bees on isolated islands avoid inbreeding and keep colonies healthy.......> Full story

Zip code as important as genetic code in childhood obesity

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:36:08 PDT

Nearly 18 percent of U.S. school-aged children and adolescents are obese, as the rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity puts children at greater risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and other illnesses, and of suffering severe obesity as adults. New study results indicate that where a child lives........> Full story

Research uncovers genetic marker that could help control, eliminate PRRS virus

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:55:11 PDT

A collaborative discovery involving Kansas State University researchers may improve animal health and save the U.S. pork industry millions of dollars each year. Raymond "Bob" Rowland, a virologist and professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, was part of the collaborative effort that discovered a genetic marker that identifies pigs with reduced susceptibility to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, or PRRS. This virus costs the U.S. pork industry more than $600 million each year........> Full story

Crystal structure of archael chromatin clarified in new study

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:32:56 PDT

Three distinct evolutionary branches of organisms make up all natural forms of life on the planet: bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. Among these three, the domain known as archaea includes a variety of organisms that live in harsh environments similar to those of an early Earth, thus offering arguably the greatest glimpse of what life may have looked like 4 billion years ago.......> Full story

Perception and preference may have genetic link to obesity

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:03:54 PDT

About five years ago, animal studies first revealed the presence of entirely novel types of oral fat sensors or receptors on the tongue. Prior to this time, it was believed that fats were perceived only by flavor and texture cues. With this new information, “everything that we thought we knew about fat perception got turned on its head,” said Beverly Tepper, a professor in the Department of Food Science at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.......> Full story

'Stealth' properties of cancer-causing genetic mutations identified

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:06:17 PDT

Results of a new study by physicists at the University of Warwick and in Taiwan hint at the possibility that one day the electronic properties of DNA could play a role in early diagnosis and detection of mutation hotspots. Researchers drew on the power of supercomputers to model every possible mutation for 162 disease-related genes, a total of 5 billion calculations.......> Full story

The developing genome?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:39:05 PDT

Since Charles Darwin first put forth the theory of evolution, scientists have been trying to unlock the mysteries of genetics. But research on the genome — the organism's entire hereditary package encoded in DNA and RNA — has been less extensive. There is a tendency to think of the genome as a static and passive container of information.......> Full story

Grass to gas: UGA researchers' genome map speeds biofuel development

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:17:48 PDT

Researchers at the University of Georgia have taken a major step in the ongoing effort to find sources of cleaner, renewable energy by mapping the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy.......> Full story

Drug halts organ damage in inflammatory genetic disorder

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:14:48 PDT

A new study shows that Kineret (anakinra), a medication approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in stopping the progression of organ damage in people with neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID). This rare and debilitating genetic disorder causes persistent inflammation and ongoing tissue damage. The research was performed by scientists at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health.......> Full story

Singapore scientists lead in 3D mapping of human genome to help understand human diseases

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:18:31 PDT

Genome Institute of Singapore’s (GIS) Associate Director of Genomic Technologies, Dr Yijun RUAN, led a continuing study on the human genome spatial/structural configuration, revealing how genes interact/communicate and influence each other.......> Full story

Frogs use calls to find mates with matching chromosomes, University of Missouri researchers find

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:44:04 PDT

When it comes to love songs, female tree frogs are pretty picky. According to a new study from the University of Missouri, certain female tree frogs may be remarkably attuned to the songs of mates who share the same number of chromosomes as they do. The discovery offers insight into how new frog species may have evolved.......> Full story

'PARP' drug sabotages DNA repair in pre-leukemic cells

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:17:06 PDT

Looking for ways to halt the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells, scientists at Johns Hopkins have found that a new class of drugs, called PARP inhibitors, may block the ability of pre-leukemic cells to repair broken bits of their own DNA........> Full story

Study shows species can change

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:16:36 PDT

A study of South American songbirds completed by the Department of Biology at Queen’s University and the Argentine Museum of Natural History, has discovered these birds differ dramatically in colour and song yet show very little genetic differences which indicates they are on the road to becoming a new species.......> Full story

Plant seeds protect their genetic material against dehydration

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:06:21 PDT

Plants prepare for changing environmental conditions in the best possible way by developing dormant seeds. Seeds that mature in autumn, for example, have no problem surviving the harsh conditions of winter. And when the seeds encounter more pleasant external conditions in spring, they germinate and reboot their metabolism, which has been running at a low speed........> Full story

Genetic evaluation should be part of retinoblastoma care

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:59:06 PDT

Results of a study by Baylor College of Medicine physicians underscore the important role that clinical genetic evaluation can have in the management plan of patients with retinoblastoma, a childhood cancer of the eye.......> Full story

Forest Service part of team sequencing 1,000 fungal genomes

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:51:03 PDT

A 79-year-old collection of fungal cultures and the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Research Stationare part of a team that will sequence 1,000 fungal genomes in the next 5 years......> Full story

Chromosomal 'breakpoints' linked to canine cancer

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:45:24 PDT

North Carolina State University researchers have uncovered evidence that evolutionary “breakpoints” on canine chromosomes are also associated with canine cancer. Mapping these “fragile” regions in dogs may also have implications for the discovery and treatment of human cancers........> Full story

Genome-scale network of rice genes to speed the development of biofuel crops

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:40:17 PDT

The first genome-scale model for predicting the functions of genes and gene networks in a grass species has been developed by an international team of researches that includes scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a multi-institutional partnership led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Called RiceNet, this systems-level model of rice gene interactions should help speed the development of new crops for the production of advanced biofuels, as well as help boost the production and improve the quality of one of the world’s most important food staples........> Full story

Warwick scientists discover how daughter cells receive the same number of chromosomes

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:46:28 PDT

Scientists at Warwick Medical School have uncovered the molecular process of how cells are by-passing the body’s inbuilt ‘health checkpoint’ with cells that carry unequal numbers of chromosomes that have a higher risk of developing cancer........> Full story

Penn study explains paradox of insulin resistance genetics

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:00:59 PDT

Obesity and insulin resistance are almost inevitably associated with increases in lipid accumulation in the liver, a serious disease that can deteriorate to hepatitis and liver failure. A real paradox in understanding insulin resistance is figuring out why insulin-resistant livers make more fat. Insulin resistance occurs when the body does a poor job of lowering blood sugars........ > Full story