news archive genetic news - February 22, 2007

February 22, 2007

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Viral Highways: Spreading From Cell To Cell A number of retroviruses, including HIV, induce cells to form long bridges along which the virus particles move from infected cells to uninfected cells.
-	Splicing Out Of Control A factor that regulates gene function by splicing messenger RNA may be involved in tumor formation.
-	Abnormal Cell Migration Mutations in a certain type of oncogene and tumor suppressor can collaborate to send cancerous cells into a malignant state.
-	Sleep Deprivation Impairs Subsequent Learning Sleep deprivation may impair the memory for subsequent experiences by altering the function of the hippocampus.
-	A Method To Regrow Teeth Scientists have for the first time successfully replaced natural teeth in mice with teeth that were created in a Petri dish from single cells.
-	Making Room For Others Newly activated antibody-producing immune cells can displace older antibody-synthesizing residents in the bone marrow.
-	Consortium Tackles The Genetic Basis Of Autism The genomes of the largest collection of families with multiple cases of autism ever assembled have been scanned in a new study.
-	Large-Scale Survey Of Mutations In Cancer One of the largest surveys of mutations in human cancers is reported online.
-	Common Genetic Variant Protects Against Breast Cancer Scientists have confirmed that a common genetic variant -- CASP8 -- offers modest protection against breast cancer,
-	Human Adult Stem Cells Can Regenerate Muscle Human adult stem cells isolated from human adult blood vessels are able to regenerate muscle in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy.
-	HIV Reveals Vulnerable Side Researchers view the crystal structure of a known broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) antibody as it binds to a specific part of HIV-1
-	In utero Protein Regulation A novel strategy for regulating a protein important in development is described.
-	Genetic Indicators Of Type 2 Diabetes Risk Geneticists have identified five different areas of DNA base-pair change that contribute significantly towards the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.
-	'Out Of Africa' With Helicobacter pylori Scientists report that the key patterns in the distribution of H. pylori genetic diversity mirror those of its human host.