news archive genetic news - January 17, 2006

January 17, 2006

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Cracking The Genetic Code For Control Of Gene Expression Genome-wide Prediction of Mammalian Enhancers Based on Analysis of Transcription-Factor Binding Affinity
-	deCODE Discovers Major Genetic Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes Variant of transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene confers risk of type 2 diabetes
-	Retinopathy: Ribozymes, Receptors and Really tight junctions Increased blood sugar leads to vascular permeability, increased VEGF pathway expression and induction of angiogenesis. New research pinpoints the main players in this process and highlights therapeutic avenues for intervention.
-	Relation Between Increased Fetal Nuchal Translucency Thickness and Chromosomal Defects. The prevalence and distribution of all chromosomal defects in fetuses with increased nuchal translucency thickness were examined.
-	Brain Cholesterol Metabolism And Alzheimer’s Disease Regulating cholesterol levels in the brain decreases levels of the Amyloid-beta peptide which is thought to be the causative agent involved in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease.
-	Grammar For Proteins Grammatical rules can be applied to describe the functions of proteins.
-	Novel Mutation Could Improve Response To Therapy Scientists report a novel mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene that could change the way that EGFR targeted therapies are given to patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
-	Fighting The Fat The level of a simple substance in a small brain region may act as a crucial signal in the regulation of body weight.
-	Determining Brain Gender Scientist explain the function of a protein called alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) which binds to and regulates gender-determining estrogen during fetal development.
-	Why Infections Sometimes Suppress Immunity New light is shed on the mechanisms of infection-induced immunosuppression.
-	Targeting Leukemia Report of a new inhibitor of Bcr-abl kinase, a key therapeutic target for treating chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).
-	Sneaking Into DNA Two anti-tumor agents are able to modify DNA, even when it is all bound up inside cells.