Genetics News And Research - January 2009 Archives
 | When comparing the genomes of different organisms to create an evolutionary tree, scientists have been restricted to using a few dozen genes common to all of them. No longer. UC Berkeley chemist Sung-Hou Kim and his colleagues have discovered a way to compare entire genomes across a range of sizes. The method, which treats the genome as a book without spaces or punctuation, works equally well for comparing written texts to detect plagiarism or authorship. ...> Full Article |
Southerners may best know sorghum as sweet, biscuit-topping syrup. But the small grain's uses range from a dependable, drought-tolerant food crop to biofuel source, says a University of Georgia researcher who led a team that recently sequenced the plant's genome.
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 | Fluorescent microscopy captures the repair protein Rad51 as it assembles into a filament on DNA ...> Full Article |
 | Drought-resistant food, feed and biofuel source sequenced by international team ...> Full Article |
 | Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown they can tease apart a complex genetic trait to reveal the precise genetic variations that combined to produce it. The research suggests scientists need better statistical models to understand how genetic interactions influence the risk of common diseases. ...> Full Article |
Scientists at the University of Nottingham are leading a major European study to unravel the genetic code of one of the most lethal strains of hospital acquired infections.
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Marrying genomics and geography on a grand scale, Yale University researchers have detected often-subtle molecular changes that occur within micro-organisms living in a host of different marine environments.
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Epigenetic finding adds insight on how cells become brain, liver -- and malignant
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A human protein called Bax-beta (Baxβ), which can potentially cause the death of cancer cells and lead to new approaches in cancer treatment, has been identified and characterized. The research is reported in the Jan. 16 issue of Molecular Cell.
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Two teams of computer scientists at the University of Missouri were ranked among the best in the world at the Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction competition. Their new, faster and more accurate protein structure prediction servers will help scientists better determine the function of proteins in cells.
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The DREAM-gene which is crucial in regulating pain perception seems to also influence learning and memory. This is the result of studies carried out by researchers in Seville, Spain, and Vienna, Austria. The new findings could help explain the mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease and yield a potential new therapeutic target.
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 | Bing Ren, Ph.D., associate professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and head of the Laboratory of Gene Regulation at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, was recently selected as one of four grant recipients in the National Institutes of Health Roadmap's Epigenomics Program, an initiative developed to study stable genetic modifications that affect and alter the behavior of genes across the human genome. ...> Full Article |
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have discovered the first gender-linked susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
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One of the most enduring questions is how life could have begun on Earth. Molecules that can make copies of themselves are thought to be crucial to understanding this process as they provide the basis for heritability, a critical characteristic of living systems.
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Discovery contributes to understanding the intricate mechanics of cell division
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During the past 20 years, researchers have identified thousands of cell protein interactions with the goal of developing a comprehensive catalogue known as the interactome. Unfortunately, the data collected by different research teams have been somewhat inconsistent. Dana-Farber investigators have examined the accuracy of current interactome maps and how they were compiled for the purpose of improving future research and demonstrating the power of such research when backed by well-proven experimental techniques.
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The latest special issue of Science in China Series C: Life Sciences focuses on the human genome project in China, and it coordinately explore the trend and goal of the future development of this academic discipline.
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It's a little like finding out that Superman is actually Clark Kent. A team of biologists at Washington University in St. Louis has discovered that two vital cellular components, nuclear RNA Polymerases IV and V, found only in plants, are actually specialized forms of RNA Polymerase II, an essential enzyme of all eukaryotic organisms, including humans.
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This month's issue of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features two articles detailing experimental methods for the analysis of molecular processes involved in DNA repair and post-translational modification of proteins.
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Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research have demonstrated important new roles for the protein kinase complex Cdc7/Dbf4 or Cdc7/Drf1 in monitoring damage control during DNA replication and reinitiating replication following DNA repair.
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Soybean farmers soon will be one step closer to better drought-tolerant soybean varieties. University of Missouri researchers will construct a comprehensive database of all proteins and metabolites in soybeans. Once compiled, the database will allow researchers to study changes in proteins and metabolites in soybeans grown under drought and other stressed conditions.
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Cloud computing user privacy in serious need of reform, scholars say
US forest management policy must evolve to meet bioenergy targets
Helmet crash tests: Don't hit the road without one
Building more sustainable aircraft
Never forget a face? Researchers find women have better memory recall than men
New quantum dot technique combines best of optical and electron microscopy
Magpies take decisions faster when humans look at them
Sibling aggression, often dismissed, linked to poor mental health
A robot that runs like a cat
Key protein is linked to circadian clocks, helps regulate metabolism
Whispering light hears liquids talk
Research paints new picture of 'dinobird' feathers
A 20-minute bout of yoga stimulates brain function immediately after
A new approach for managing investment funds
Nanoparticle opens the door to clean-energy alternatives
Astronomers gear up to discover Earth-like planets
Scientists create novel silicon electrodes that improve lithium-ion batteries
Researchers discover 2-step mechanism of inner ear tip link regrowth
New archaeogenetic research refutes earlier findings
Research shows copper destroys norovirus
Borneo stalagmites provide new view of abrupt climate events over 100,000 years
Doctors should screen for frailty to prevent deaths
Peer pressure tests grade schoolers -- not just adolescents
New mathematical model links space-time theories
Seahorse's armor gives engineers insight into robotics designs
Do palm trees hold the key to immortality?
New strategy for fingerprint visualization developed at Hebrew University
Spanish researchers sequence the genome of global deep ocean
Scientists identify thousands of plant genes activated by ethylene gas
How to stop a trunk and start a tail? The leg has the key
Researchers develop easy and effective therapy to restore sight
Study shows how young genes become essential for life
New method of mass-producing high-quality DNA molecules
The inside story behind the approval of the gene therapy drug Glybera