akaspyda33

How Our Genomes Control Diversity

Sun, 11 May 2008 06:17:24 -0500

There are recent discoveries that show diversity in the human population. One study is using DNA recombination. In class, we learned that DNA recombination is joining DNA from two different species.Recombination impacts population diversity because genes are mixed from individual to individual. Furthermore, recombination is the way that you generate novel haplotypes, novel combinations of mutations. Haplotypes are combinations of different versions of genes on a single chromosome that are inherited as a unit.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=genetic-processes-behind-human-diversity

Recent Changes Discovered In The Human Genome

Sun, 11 May 2008 06:00:02 -0500

A study that is done in Cornell University suggests that natural selection has caused as much as ten percent of the human genome to change in some populations in the last fifteen thousand to a hundred thousand years. Researchers look for regions where most people show similar genetic changes. Some researchers discovered selection on skin pigmentation genes, which provides genetic data that proofs that modern humans migrated out of Africa. Conversely, the study showed no evidence of differences in genes that control brain development among the various geographical groups, as some researchers have proposed in the past.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/76657.php

Researchers find neuroblastoma genes

Sun, 11 May 2008 05:38:05 -0500

An international team of researchers have discovered three variants of the genetic code that appear to set the stage for aggressive neuroblastoma, the deadliest solid tumor in early childhood. However, the discoveries are not going to coerce the doctors to change their methods of dealing with cancer. The discovery may lead to new therapies for tumor, which kills over sixty percent of victims. Because the probability is less than one percent that a neuroblastoma will reappear in a family, there is small point in doing genetic screening for the risk.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080508/sc_nm/cancer_brain_gene_dc;_ylt=Aqcgiqaoy5VZxdbhCpqStaYPLBIF

Genetically-modified crops get mixed response in Asia

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:00:33 -0500

I found a mesmerizing article that explains how the Philippine government has embraced the business growing of genetically modified (GM) corn. The Philippine government implemented this because it promises to help augment the income of farmers and provide higher yields. However, neighboring countries such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and China do not want to grow GM crops because due to safety concerns among consumers. In addition, others believe it is a waste of resources.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080505/sc_afp/inflationpovertyfoodasiagm;_ylt=Aodney_767Af0ceD1nx54aEPLBIF

Overlooked in the global food crisis: A problem with dirt

Fri, 09 May 2008 02:36:23 -0500

Hey guys! I found an interesting article that talks about how the world is in global food crisis. To stop this problem, people use biotechnology and old-fashioned crossbreeding to create better dirt for the plants. However, as seeds get better, much of the world's soil is getting worse and people are going hungry. Soils around the world are deteriorating with about one-fifth of the world's cropland degraded. The poor quality has cut production by about one-sixth. In class, we learned that the three main food sources for the world are rice, tomatoes, and corns. If people do not keep producing more food in the future and meet the expectations, tremendous amount of people will suffer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080508/ap_on_sc/food_crisis_soil;_ylt=Aot0X1XhYdlZZKMWkMZpaJ0PLBIF

Protein scraps help fill in dino family tree

Fri, 09 May 2008 01:57:41 -0500

I found an intriguing article that talks about how researchers found debris of protein from the bones of a sixty eight million year old dinosaur and a mastodon carcass, which belong in the family tree of life on Earth. They said that their investigation of the ancient preserved proteins can be really useful to identify the gaps in the tree of evolution. Furthermore, it also shows that classical methods, based on studying an animal's bones and other physical structures, are accurate.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080425/sc_nm/dinosaurs_elephants_dc;_ylt=Ajarp_0LZWlZl.oO2LfE7foPLBIF

The Role of Heredity in Mood Disorders

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:36:10 -0500

I came across an intriguing article that talks about a horrible gene called SLC6A4. In class, we discussed if it is possible that one kind of gene can affect humans dramatically. SLC6A4 is responsible for making the protein that is targeted by all current drug treatments for depression. Studies have shown that people who inherit one form of this gene are up to four times the risk of depression if they experience unusual stresses in their lives. SLC6A4 affects risk for depression by impacting on the development of a system in the brain that mediates how negative environmental stresses and threats feel.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/03/13/the-role-of-heredity-in-mood-disorders/2038.html

Overlapping genes in the human and mouse genomes

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:16:48 -0500

I found an interesting article that relates to what we discussed in the lecture. Scientists know that over 27% of the different-strand-overlap relationships are shared between human and mouse, compared to only ~8% conservation for same-strand-overlap relationships. More than 96% of the same-strand and different-strand overlaps that are not shared between human and mouse have both genes located on the same chromosomes in the species that does not show the overlap. But the important point is that the researchers found the causes of transition between the overlapping and non-overlapping states in the two species and found that 3' UTR change plays an important role in the transition.

http://7thspace.com/headlines/279226/overlapping_genes_in_the_human_and_mouse_genomes.html

Genome at Home

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:38:03 -0500

I found an interesting website that shows how we can help design new protein sequences. To design these large numbers of protein sequences, they need lots of computers. By running the Genome@home protein sequence design clients, people can lend their computers while there not using them. It simply runs alongside people's other programs and does its calculations in the unused cpus time while people are away from their desks, or even while their working on their computers. People would not notice a loss of speed, and people's computers will work as usual. All people see are small windows that show them the protein sequences their designing. If people do not want to look at them, just minimize the windows and move them to a corner of their desktops. A day or two's worth of running Genome@home is enough to design new protein sequences that the world has never seen before. All the sequences get added to the Genome@home database, so every little bit helps.

http://genomeathome.stanford.edu/

Example of an Exam Question (Answer)

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:42:35 -0500

Some possible reasons:
1. There is not enough sequence per individual.
2. The mutation is too slow.
3. The branching tree does not reflect history (cross-breeding).

Example of an Exam Question

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:04:19 -0500

Based on mtDNA sequences, why can't evolutionary tree separate breeds?

DNA paternity testing kit goes on sale for 30 dollars

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:22:19 -0500

Hey guys! I found an intriguing article that talks about how a Collection Kit went on sale at the 4,363 Rite Aid drug stores throughout the United States, except New York. The catch is that it costs a hundred and nineteen dollars extra to mail the saliva to the Identigene laboratory for analysis. Why would people pay that much? This can help people find the father of their child; including unborn children and people looking for their parents.

http://health.yahoo.com/news/afp/ushealthdna_080326224747.html

Cloned cells treat Parkinson's in mice

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:53:16 -0500

I came across an intriguing article that explains how some scientists were testing embryonic stem cells on mice to see if they can cure the Parkinson's disease. But they found that a mouse's own cloned stem cells were extremely less disruptive to its body than cloned cells taken from the other mice.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080323/sc_nm/cloning_parkinsons_dc;_ylt=AgiJK6UALR6uiw8Ig9boyQoPLBIF

Genes help explain post-trauma puzzle

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:29:11 -0500

I found an exciting article that talks about how genes might be able to explain the complex post-trauma problems. Researchers found that survivors of child abuse were more likely to have symptoms of post-traumatic stress as adults if they also had specific variations in a stress-related gene.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080318/ap_on_sc/ptsd_genes;_ylt=AvCQ1vu_I8Nr5KoSQ0Jraa4PLBIF

'Rare' tiger snapped in China is circus escapee

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:59:43 -0500

I found an intriguing article of how a photographer spotted a rare South China tiger. It is the most endangered of the tiger species. There are fewer than a hundred left in the world and sixty of them are held in captivity.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080325/od_afp/chinaanimalstigeroffbeat;_ylt=AqyfZsZqL6_BFPefthBO6ZwPLBIF