news archive genetic news - May 3, 2005

May 3, 2005

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Method shows how precisely gene expression signals are copied in DNA replication A population-epigenetic model to infer site-specific methylation rates from double-stranded DNA methylation patterns
-	Scientists Track 'Stealth' DNA Elements In Primate Evolution Alu elements are the most successful SINEs (Short INterspersed Elements) in primate genomes and have reached more than 1,000,000 copies in the human genome.
-	Study Finds Possible Mechanism For Link Between Sleep Disturbances And Metabolic Syndrome A new mouse study suggests that a brain system that controls the sleep/wake cycle might also play a role in regulating appetite and metabolism.
-	Obesity On The Brain Six articles in the May 2005 issue of Nature Neuroscience review the literature on the neurobiology of feeding regulation, and how it can go awry.
-	New Research Shows How The (Gene) Chips Are Stacked Three studies reveal important new insights into how investigators can greatly enhance the quality and reliability of data obtained in experiments conducted with microarrays.
-	Lumbar Disc Disease A genetic variation associated with susceptibility to lumbar disc disease, one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, has been identified.
-	Stem Cell Stability A potential barrier to the therapeutic use of human embryonic stem cells appears to be less of a concern than previously thought.
-	New Stem Cell Population Identified In Muscle A new population of stem cells, present in skeletal muscle, is identified by two groups of researchers.
-	Measurement Of Nuchal Translucency – Test For Prenatal Screening Measurement of nuchal translucency at 11-14 weeks is becoming a much sought after test for prenatal screening.