Defense Against Huntingtons

Expert researchers from Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester have recently identified that glutathione peroxidase protects against Huntington’s disease. Although the research has been carried out through yeast, they substituted their claim by further testing fruit flies and mammalian cells. I believe that breakthrough discovery significantly enhances understanding the potential mechanisms at the cellular lever which could change the lives of Huntington disease patients.  They found that glutathione peroxidase to be vigorously protective in the model organisms.  There’s great potential that this discovery can further be utilized to treat people with the genetic disease. I think that this discovery will tremendously improve the health of patients suffering from the neurodegenerative genetic disorder. 

Link Here

Big Brains

While looking for something that will keep my interest along side with this weeks Thanksgiving festivities, I came across an interesting article called “Big Brains are All in the Genes”.  This article focuses on how through evolution our brains became larger and more complex. The scientist wanted to understand the genetic changes that are related to various adaptations in acquiring a lager brain. Gene families in thirty-nine different species of mammals were analyzed. These gene families are group of genes that are related to each other in some function. From the research done, there was a link between the various size of brain and the amount of gene families associated together. Thus the greater the amount of gene families linked together, the more complex and bigger the brain will be according to this research.  

Link Here

Ancient Virus Found In Modern Human DNA

Neanderthals are the extinct Homo sapiens species that are closely related to humans. Their DNA differs from our by .3% and now researchers from Oxford and Plymouth University have found ancient virus in our DNA from the extinct species. Genetic data was analyzed from these ancient species along with some genetic data from cancer patients and data from other ancient species called Denisovans. From the data collected, it was found that the virus originated millions of years ago. From this finding, researchers can now study the links between ancient viruses and new diseases.

Link Here

Creating Better Protein Through the Process of Evolution

A protein based drug has been developed through the concept of evolution. This drug specifically is targeted to help prevent heart disease. Specific protein functions were targeted and put through the process of evolution and time. This process would begin by having a lot of variations of the targeted cell and then picking the one variant that has evolved the best and then repeating the process again until you have a protein that carries the function you want. An international team along with the University of Leicester and Cambridge has been trying to develop this method to treat heart problems such as inflammation through the use of these ligand-trap protein. It is said that these evolutionary engineered proteins have good future applications in chemicals, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. 

Link Here

Genes Linked to Aging Brain

Out of a random population of 1,129 people from Mexican families of ages 18-83, scientist tested neurocognitive abilities which are linked to memory, attention, language, learning,reasoning, solving problems, etc., along with white matter. What was found was that there were genes associated with the rate the brain ages. The researchers made sure they sampled individuals who came from large families so they could observe the genetic factors in the study that were associated with age. The researchers also looked into the genetic factors that caused brain deterioration and the decrease in white matter. Since the researchers looked into one set of ethnicities, I wonder if there are any differences with other ethnicities and the associated genetic factors. 

Link Here

Pain Resistance in Mice

The Arizona bark in known to produce toxins that allows any predator who consumes it feels no pain. The primary organisms affected by mother nature are the grasshopper mice who feed on this bark and do not feel pain as they chew through the toxic bark. The sodium channel that enables pain in normal organisms has changed in several amino acids that causes no feeling of pain in these mice.

According to the researcher who has been doing this research ever since he was a post grad stated that the pain resistance is venom specific. Under the research of neurobiology Ashlee Rowe, her and her team studied two sodium channels called Nav1.7 and Nav1.8. As these receptors were studied, it was found that there was a response from these channels in House mice but not in grasshopper mice. Further research was done and it was found that the venom from the bark stopped the Nav1.8 activity which cause the pain resistance. 

Link Here

Switching off Down Syndrome Chromosomes

While searching for an interesting blog topic for this week, I came across this article posted in Scientific American about how one gene can switch off another gene that causes down syndrome.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts used XIST gene to inactivate one of the three copies of chromosome 21. The XIST gene is found in both X chromosomes in females. When this gene is activated then the expression of that chromosome is turned off.

Once the gene was placed into the cells obtained from someone who has down syndrome, Lawrence and her colleagues also put in a switch that gave them control over when to turn on the XIST gene. The switch was turned on by introducing antibiotic doxyclcline to the cells.

The researchers would like this study to assist other research in better understanding the genetic pathways involved in this syndrome and to further guide efficient future treatments.

Link Here

Cartilage Regeneration

There are so many people who suffer from what I call the bodies “wear and tear” and develop arthritis. You don’t have to be of age to experience this dysfunction but even athletes who I consider fairly young, experience these problems too. For example, a runner who has been running all his life will gradually feel arthritis settling in as the cartilage in his knee starts to wear out. Though now there is hope for those who I believe have such problems because there is a potential treatment that will regenerate knee cartilage cells by mechanical stress. When the cells are put through this mechanical stress, the cells develop receptors that are receptive to the natural growth factors made by the organism which causes regeneration of the cartilage cells and also they are receptive towards the medications. 

Link Here

Preventing Eczema

Atopic dermatitis or eczema is a chronic skin condition caused by inflammation. I personally have been dealing with this condition for some years now and it isn't severe as some peoples condition. I just have a small parch on my hand that decided to inflame every once in a while when it's irritated. So I decided to do a blog on this today. This condition is hereditary and is uncomfortable when the skin becomes irritated because you just feel like scratching till you bleed (sorry to paint the horrible picture, but its true!). About fifty-five million Americans are estimated to be effected by this condition and the symptoms continue through out adulthood. Research done by Diana Bautista at UT Berkeley studies how the nervous system reacts with the immune system which is found to be the cause of the itching and inflammation symptoms. She says that the sensory receptors in the skin are the first to respond to the itch, thus by blocking the neurons connected to the receptors then cam also block the itching.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003121300.htm

Enzyme SCD1

In a study done at University of Wisconsin by Chad Paton and his colleagues, on how eating specific kind of fat will assist in losing weight faster. The research began with an enzyme found in obese individuals. This enzyme that was located in the skeletal muscles was then tested for specific functionality by using once again our little furry friends that con in hand in the lab. After altering the sequence of the gene that regulates the enzyme activity, they found an increase in metabolic activity along with an increase in energy and exercise drive.

As was found, the enzyme SCD1 that is produced by the liver, where it will develop this enzyme when fatty foods are eaten. What also was discovered was the production of linoleic acid which particularly comes through eating. This enzyme causes a cascade of events which resulted in producing a protein which signaled certain cells to burn more energy.

Since more energy was being made, the more was being used as well which was seen by the difference in the amount of exercise these mice did. The normal mice ran up to 10 minutes on their spinning wheel, where as these new mice ran 70 minutes.

Since these findings can't be tested on human test subjects, Chad Paton has decided to use his research to help improve dietary supplement.

Link Here

Potential Cure of Malaria

As well know malaria is passed by mosquito who have been infected by these certain parasites. The United States witnesses hundreds of cases As well know malaria is passed by mosquitoes who have been infected by these certain parasites  The United States witnesses hundreds of cases each year, mainly brought in by travelers and immigrants around the world. These travelers come from countries of Southeast Asia or Africa  The transmission of malaria happens when a mosquito feeds on an infected person and then goes around and feeds again on some one else causing a transfer of infected from one person to the next. In a recent news article I read, about a team of scientist who could have potentially found the cure for malaria in the aminopyridine class of drugs. This drug has been tested for eighteen months where is had been going through carious animal trials. The dynamic potential this pill has is huge. Just imagine the number of people who will be aided by this miracle drug. For centuries this disease has killed thousands of individuals and now it will at least save 24 present of the children who are suffering in Africa with this illness.

Like here

Project Genome 2.0

Have you ever wondered what kind of history your genome encompasses? Where your ancestors came from? Who they were? How much of that information is within you? We are told we all come from a common ancestor which was about, give or take 2.3 million years ago when the genus Homo arrived to the scene some where in Africa. For the up coming years to follow they evolved and spread to different parts of the globe, where these species diverged, some going across Africa and others to Europe and Asia.

From there on forward we grew and adapted to our surroundings while branching out to different areas and locations where we developed our various cultures, languages, speech patterns, religions, society, etc.

An on going study called the geographic 2.0 beta project answers these fundamental questions, of where we all originated from ad how we branched off. Genetic and computer analysis are being used to analyze different groups of individuals to understand the variation and root of the human genome. This project is being carried out by Dr. Spencer Wells along with his team of international workers who all work for National Geographic Explorer. Anyone interested in volunteering towards the benefit of this project or just wanting to find out about their own ancestry, then it is as simple as a check swab. Which then that sample looks at 150,000 DNA markers on the mitochondria that are specific towards finding this relevant information about ancestry. Along with the maternal markers, paternal markers are also analyzed. 130,000 markers are also defined as regions of ancestral inheritance.

Link to text

Extending Life Expectancy, A Possible Scientific Breakthrough

We all strive to live longer, healthier lives by various means. Some accomplish this through diet and exercise while others have to rely on the marvels of modern medicine to increase their lifespan. However, scientists have recently experienced a breakthrough on a genetic level which can possibly increase the lifespan of humans in general. .

The researchers at national institutes of health published a research in the journal Cell Reports regarding the mTOR gene. This gene is found to be a major regulator in the aging process found in animals as well as humans. Scientists conducted an experiment where they used two groups of mice and regulated the amount of mTOR gene in each group. One group of mice had 25% of normal mTOR protein while the second group was the control group. The result of this experiment was fascinating. Scientists found that the mice with the suppressed mTOR gene expression had a 20% increase in their lifespan which amounts to approximately 15 years of human lifespan.

While researching mTOR I found that it is an intracellular signaling pathway important in apoptosis. It is important in cancer research and is activated by AKT which is then activated by PI3K

However, with new breakthroughs and results always leads to more questions. One of the questions asked is will the results of the drug trial on mice have the same outcome when applied to humans because humans are vastly more complex. Furthermore, every drug on the market has a side effect which is potentially deadly. For example, pain medications generally cause nausea and blood thinners such as Coumadin or Warfarin can cause spontaneous brain hemorrhage. 

Link To Cite

How Transposable Elements Bring Diversity to the Genome

As we all know transposable elements are unique segments of DNA that move around to different sites in the genome. Due to this transposition, they can end up any where in the genome. The relocation of these segments bring up a few thoughts and concerns in the scientific community. The research that is continuously being done on these sequences shows that they bring forth diversity in the organism. At the same time, these transposable elements result in various diseases through the process of mutations that occur when these elements move into another region of the genome. Even though the TE (transposable elements) tend to be neutral in response, they have a great influence on regulating genes and their function. There usually tends to be multiple copies of these TE and a good portion of the genome is made up of them.

A type of transposable element called retrotransposons found in eukaryotic cells, transpose through using RNA intermediate structures. A sub-unit of these retroviruses are LTR (long terminal repeats), that leave transposable sequences when cleaved out of the genome. These TE that are left behind bring a great amount of diversity to the genome through expression of gene regulation. Other research shows how transposable elements influence early development in the embryonic stage. Retrotransposons that are responsible in that stage called LINE-1 retrotransposons translocate into the regulatory sequence to control expression during that time.