Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer are just some of the disorders associated with specific genes not "turning on" and "turning off" as they should. By using new CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, in a recent paper in Nature Communications, McGill University researchers have described a new technique that scientists across the world can potentially […]
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Study could help identify genes linked to aging process
To better understand the role of bacteria in health and disease, National Institutes of Health researchers fed fruit flies antibiotics and monitored the lifetime activity of hundreds of genes that scientists have traditionally thought control aging. To their surprise, the antibiotics not only extended the lives of the flies but also dramatically changed the activity […]
COVID-19: Scientists identify human genes that fight infection
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have identified a set of human genes that fight SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. Knowing which genes help control viral infection can greatly assist researchers’ understanding of factors that affect disease severity and also suggest possible therapeutic options. The genes in question are related to interferons, the body’s […]
Exercise could be used to improve the oral environment in people with NAFLD
Liver disease, from metabolic and bacterial causes, is a growing concern. What connects these dots? The gut, or more specifically, bacteria in the gut. Bacteria that cause inflammation in the mouth are transported through the digestive tract to the gut and liver, where they can cause liver inflammation. Lipopolysaccharides, important structural molecules in some bacteria, […]
Could N protein-based COVID-19 vaccines hinder SARS-CoV-2's NK cell inhibition?
When a virus invades an individual, both innate and adaptive immunity play crucial roles. The successful viral pathogens can antagonize these immune pathways with genes that inhibit the key players in the immune system. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the novel beta coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It […]
Obesity reduces mitochondrial gene expression in fat tissue, finds study
A twin study recently completed at the University of Helsinki indicates that the machinery responsible for energy handling in fat tissue is working poorly in obesity. In the study, a clear reduction was seen in the activity of mitochondrial genes in obesity in fat tissue, while similar genome-level change in muscle mitochondria was minor. A […]
New maps link thousands of genetic variants to disease genes
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of genetic variants that are associated with a wide range of diseases. But these studies often fall short of establishing what a genetic variant does to bring about a particular trait or disease. “The challenge has been that many of these variants are difficult to interpret,” said Jesse […]
Microrna-29 molecule controls brain maturation in mammals
A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The results, published in Cell Reports, illuminate an important process in the […]
Apes mount a much stronger early immune response compared to African and Asian monkeys
A new study out of the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in humans, chimpanzees, rhesus macaques and baboons has found key differences in early gene expression in response to pathogen exposure, highlighting the importance of choosing the right animal model for the right questions. The study was published on March 26 […]
Researchers explore potential role of TARM1 protein in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis
TARM1 is a receptor protein whose role in the functioning of the immune system is unknown. In a new study, scientists from Japan have explored the potential role of TARM1 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis by analyzing mouse models. They found that TARM1 activated dendritic cells, and development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was notably […]