news archive May 2007

• The Dual Role Of BRCA2 In DNA Repair
  The dual role of the gene BRCA2 in DNA repair is described in two independent studies.
  
• A Red-Letter Day For Brain Connectivity
  Insights into grapheme-colour synesthesia are presented.
  
• Deciphering The Histone Code
  A method to identify all modifications on histones, the proteins around which DNA is packed, is presented.
  
• Checking Immune Activation
  Armed 'killer' cells can re-enter lymph nodes to destroy dendritic cells -- a specialized type of immune cell.
  
• DNA Breakage In Living Color
  Spontaneous breaks of replicating DNA in bacteria occur at a rate much lower than suspected.
  
• Gene Copy Number And Risk Of Autoimmunity
  Individuals with fewer than two copies of the gene FCGR3B are more susceptible to a variety of autoimmune disorders, including lupus.
  
• Control Of All Fates
  Study investigates how pluripotency, the ability of a stem cell to differentiate into every cell type of the adult organism, is regulated.
  
• Skin Barrier Formation And Caspase-14
  A protein known as caspase-14 has been identified as the enzyme involved in the protection of the skin against UVB damage and water loss.
  
• Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes Identified
  These findings increase our knowledge of the genetic component of breast cancer risk, much of which has remained uncharacterised.
  
• Modelling Instability
  A mouse model that for the first time mimics the levels of genomic instability in human cancers is presented.
  
• Successful Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy In Pregnancy
  A pregnant woman with cervical cancer has been treated successfully with neoadjuvant cisplatin chemotherapy, in order to stabilize her cancer.
  

• In Vitro Procedure Yields Functional Vascular & Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells
  A simple two-step process induces embryonic stem cells to differentiate into hemangioblasts that appear capable of participating in vascular repair.
  

• Genome-Wide Association Study Of Bipolar Disorder
  Study suggests that bipolar disorder may be a polygenic disorder.
  
• Gene Combinations Influence AIDS Progression
  Different combinations of genetic variants of two modulators of the innate human immune system strongly influence AIDS progression in HIV-positive individuals.
  
• Gene Has Key Role In Calorie-Restriction-Mediated Longevity
  Gene discovered in nematode worms that is essential for ageing.
  

• The opossum genome sequence casts light on evolution, immunity, and disease
  Three papers explore insights gained from the newly published marsupial genome.
  

• A New Fanconi Anaemia Target
  The identification of a second protein target for modification by the Fanconi anaemia (FA) complex, which is important in DNA repair, is reported.
  
• Standards For The Analysis Of Metagenomes
  Simulated datasets for the evaluation of metagenomic analysis programs are presented.
  
• Engineering Diverse Sets Of Drug Sensitive Proteins
  A paper describes a general approach to genetically engineer proteins that are regulated by small chemical drugs.
  
• Ancient Diversity
  An ancient enzyme drives diversification of immune receptors in lampreys, and resembles an enzyme with a similar function in mammals.
  
• New Player In Inflammatory 'Shutdown'
  Scientists show that a protein within immune cells stands poised to dampen inflammation.
  
• New Genetic Risk Factor For Type 2 Diabetes
  Variation in the gene called CDKAL1 is associated with risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  
• The Immune System And Susceptibility To Cancer
  Variation in a genetic element that regulates the expression of the gene encoding caspase-8 (CASP8) is associated with differential susceptibility to several different cancers.
  
• Chromatin Link To Mental Retardation
  A protein previously implicated in mental retardation has now been shown to influence gene expression by modifying histones.
  
• New Hypothesis For Amyloid Disease
  Degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and type 2 diabetes may share common structural features at the molecular level.
  
• Life Without Dad
  Genomic imprinting is not always essential for seed development.
  
• Mice And Easy Memory Recovery
  Long-term memories lost after brain damage can be restored in mice.
  
• Neuronal Imbalance May Contribute To Addiction
  An imbalance between neuronal excitation and inhibition may contribute to the early stages of addiction.
  
• Enzyme Curtails Allergic Reaction To Chitin
  Chitin, the main component of arthropod exoskeletons, elicits an innate allergic response in mice that can be controlled by a host enzyme.
  
• New Treatment For Muscular Dystrophy And Cystic Fibrosis
  Mouse study suggests that a drug that allows cells to ignore a particular type of disease-causing mutation may ease the symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
  

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