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New Findings Uncover 3 Genetic Links to Alzheimer’s
A new letter in Nature Genetics has shown genetic links of 3 new genes to the onset of Alzheimer’s. The study, featured in the latest edition of the journal, involved 45 different institutions, over 16000 individuals, and is considered the most in-depth and powerful study of its kind. It is expected that these new findings will enhance early detection of the disease and will hopefully provide an outlet for therapy or treatment.
Posted in Genetics, Genomics, Health & Medicine Tagged Alzheimer's, Genetics, Genomics, Nature 3621 Comments
4 Services Offering Genetic Art
Genetic analysis is becoming more widespread and less expensive every day. There are a few companies out now that are taking advantage of this and offering its customers unique, personal, and completely biologically sound art based on their genetic code.
DNA 11 is easily the most popular and successful of the various services available. They provide a kit that takes saliva from your mouth and, based on your package configuration, will produce modern, contemporary art directly from your genetic information. They also provide fingerprint and lip-print art. The art is very much a direct representation of the customer’s genetic material.
DNA Art Forms produces more abstract-style genetic representation in their products. The products from this company are more “art” than hard “science,” but each piece of art is directly connected to the customer’s genetic information. This is a great example of combining traditional art and science into one product.
My Gene Image is similar to DNA 11 in their products, except that instead of taking a gel electrophoresis image and turning it into art, it takes the actual nucleotide sequence of a gene and prints it, in order, in front of an artistic image.
This may not be a for-sale art company or based on actual genetic information, but this web project is a very interesting implementation of the genetic-art style in web art. It takes a website and, based on the coding structure, creates a gel electrophoresis-style image.
Posted in Genetics, Genomics, Lists, Proteomics, Web Resources Tagged Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Web Resources 4438 Comments
Mitochondrial gene replacement in primate offspring and embryonic stem cells
Researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center have successfully replaced damaged and diseased mitochondria (and, likewise, their mtDNA) with healthy mitochondria with no apparent side effects in Macaca mulatta. This has strong implications for future treatment and prevention of mitochondrial DNA associated diseases.
Posted in Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Health & Medicine Tagged Cell Biology, Disease, Genetics, Health, Medicine, Mitochondria, Nature 2233 Comments
Monkeys Enjoy Music.. Their OWN Music.
While monkeys prefer silence in the presence of human music, they apparently enjoy the music produced by themselves and their own vocal chords. This could provide significant improvements in the lives of captive animals and offers a unique look at the dynamics of animal physiology and psychology.
Molecular Decay Of Enamel-specific Gene In Toothless Mammals Supports Theory Of Evolution
Biologists report new evidence for evolutionary change recorded in both the fossil record and the genomes (or genetic blueprints) of living organisms, providing fresh support for Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The researchers were able to correlate the progressive loss of enamel in the fossil record with a simultaneous molecular decay of a gene, called the enamelin gene, that is involved in enamel formation in mammals.
Posted in Evolutionary Biology, Genomics, Zoology Tagged Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Mammals, Whales 2023 Comments
Spare Gene Is Fodder For Fishes’ Evolution
Scientists have suspected that spare parts in the genome — extra copies of functional genes that arise when genes or whole genomes get duplicated — might sometimes provide the raw materials for the evolution of new traits. Now, researchers report that they have discovered a prime example of this in fish.
Posted in Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics Tagged Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Zebrafish 2254 Comments
First Genetic Link Between Reptile And Human Heart Evolution Found
Scientists have traced the evolution of the four-chambered human heart to a common genetic factor linked to the development of hearts in turtles and other reptiles. The research shows how a specific protein that turns on genes is involved in heart formation in turtles, lizards and humans.
Posted in Evolutionary Biology, Genetics Tagged Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Heart, Human, Reptile 1266 Comments
Baylor researchers find fat cell blocker
A newly discovered molecule dubbed “fatostatin” has been implicated in stopping the pathway that is responsible for fat cell production, as well as cholesterol retention and insulin resistance. Studies in mice show positive results for controlling the negative effects of weight gain.
Posted in Cell Biology, Genetics, Health & Medicine Tagged Cell Biology, Fatostatin, Genetics, Health, Medicine, Proteomics 3683 Comments
Cancer Motility Mechanisms Observed
A new study out of Harvard Medical suggests that cancer cells have an intrinsic ability to mechanistically move through channels such as blood vessels as they make their way through the body and leave tumors. The study, published in Integrative Biology, uses a variety of microchannels and chemicals to treat the cells to a different environments. In almost all environments, the cells presented very fast motility along the channel.
Read the original publication in Integrative Biology (featured on the cover)