Tag Archives: gene
New insights into the cause of Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare obesity-related genetic disorder
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genomic imprinting disorder caused by the loss of paternally expressed genes in the 15q11-q13 region usually due to a chromosome 15q11-q13 deletion seen in about 70 percent of those affected with
Molecular mechanism of phenotypic plasticity
Darwinian evolution is considered to be the way that life adapts in every possible environment in Earth. The great evolutionary biologist of the past century Theodosius Dobzansky used to say: “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in
A new technology for employing artificial trans-acting small interfering RNA
A central doctrine for a gene expression is typically from the DNA coding sequence to the RNA transcript and then to the protein. So, the normal function of a gene can be disrupted by suppression, or so-called
Patterns of mutation in cancer genes
In most cancers, the majority of the changes to the DNA (termed mutations), acquired during the disease process are inconsequential in terms of driving the cancer, however a few of the changes in a small set of
Cyagen Biosciences – Helping you choose the right animal model for your research
While many animal models are available “ off the shelf ” through various repositories and collaborations, generation of novel animal models has allowed for more effective studies, not limited by previously derived lines/ strains. Historically, researchers have
From parasitic microfungi towards the origins of Microsporidia
Microsporidia are unicellular eukaryotic parasites, infecting virtually all animals including humans. They are characterized by peculiar morphological and genetic features, which are the result of their extreme adaptation to the intracellular lifestyle. Interestingly, the infection apparatus in
G-quadruplexes: novel DNA structures controlling life from the beginning
The process by which a single cell, the zygote, becomes a fully formed organism has been a historic scientific enigma. Now we know that the information stored in the genes of the DNA is the responsible for
Unravel the key genes potentially related to high strength of cotton fiber by comparative phenotypic and genomic analyses
The demand of high strength of cotton fibers has been increased dramatically with the advent of modern high speed spinning technology for producing yarn. Cotton fiber is a gigantic single cell which consists of almost pure cellulose.
Protection from DNA-damage with the natural compound resveratrol
Resveratrol is currently known as a health-beneficial natural compound that is contained in grape skins, red wine, and other natural foods. Recent studies suggest that the compound could elongate the life spans of several organisms through a
Prox-1 and adipogenesis
Adipogenesis is the biological process that controls adipocytes differentiation and is one of the most well studied models of cellular differentiation. Adipose tissue is involved in the control of energy balance and especially in the study of
Allelic variations within genes coding for cytokines among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia: New candidate genes for future disease studies
Cytokines are a set of low molecular weight proteins/glycoproteins secreted by almost all types of cells. They regulate cell growth, immune response and blood cell development in the bone marrow. Genetic variations in cytokine genes include single
Single nucleotide polymorphisms as genomic markers for high-throughput pharmacogenomic studies
DNA is a double strand molecule composed of nucleotide subunits, consisting of three components: a sugar, a phosphate group and one of four nitrogen-containing base, (Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine or Thymine). Among humans, DNA molecules are 99.9% identical.
Energy intensive hub regions of the brain
In this work, we analyzed a massive database of brain connectivity data from the Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas, which contains data from experiments where researchers inject viral tracers into different regions of the mouse brain. The
How does aspirin inhibit melanin synthesis?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to act by directly suppressing the activity of cyclooxygenase, the key enzyme catalyzing the biosynthesis of prostaglandin, which induces inflammation. Therefore, NSAIDs are usually used for treating pain, inflammation, and fever.
A natural transgene may help plants to adapt to local conditions
Transgenes are genes that have moved from a donor to a recipient organism via a process known as horizontal gene transfer (HGT), in the absence of sexual reproduction. The genetic modification of crop species involves the deliberate
