news archive genetic news - August 2, 2006

August 2, 2006

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Promising Therapy For ALS Delivers Antisense Drug Directly To Nervous System Delivering agents across the blood-brain barrier likely to be effective treatment for other neurodegenerative diseases
-	Cheap fast way to crack genome code US and Australian scientists have pioneered a new hybrid method for genomic sequencing that is faster and cheaper than state of the art technologies.
-	Neutralizing HIV Study reveals the interaction between a human antibody and a protein found on the surface of the HIV-1 virus.
-	Gleevec May Cause Heart Problems Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), a drug used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), can kill heart cells.
-	Inhibiting Inflammation In Multiple Sclerosis T cells, a type of immune cell, can impede the development and progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
-	Mouse Model Suggests Treatment Strategy For Muscular Dystrophy Study reports a reversible mouse model of myotonic dystrophy, the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults.
-	Receptors In The Mouse Nose May Be Pheromone Detectors Biologists have discovered a second set of olfactory receptors in the mouse nose, including ones that may detect pheromones and might therefore aid in the mating game.
-	Choosing Face Study clarifies the role of particular neurons in a region of monkeys' brains known to be important for object recognition.
-	Active Sites Of A Hepatitis C Virus Enzyme Revealed The crystal structure of one of the hepatitis C viral proteins could offer new opportunities for antiviral drug design.
-	Unexpected Inheritance Research supports the idea that RNA partly determines the inherited characteristics of plants and animals.
-	Melanoma Risk Linked to the Gene for the Melanocortin-1 Receptor and Sun Exposure MC1R gene variants are correlated with BRAF mutations and the risk of melanoma with intermittent exposure to sunlight.