Genetics news

Molecular anchor links the 2 inheritable diseases Fanconi anemia and Bloom's syndrome

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 24, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A new study establishes a molecular link that bridges two rare inherited disorders and explains why these diseases result in genetic instability. The research, published by Cell Press in the December 24th issue of the journal ...

Genomic toggle switches divide autoimmune diseases into distinct clusters

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 23, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Genomic switches can predispose an individual to one set of autoimmune disorders but protect the same person against another set of them, scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have found.

Gene for devastating kidney disease discovered

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 22, 2009 | 5 / 5 (2) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified an important genetic cause of a devastating kidney disease that is the second leading cause of kidney failure in ...

Protein that represses genes may play role in cell growth

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 21, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A Cornell study shows the protein not only activates some genes involved in the regulation of cell growth and signaling, but also may play a role in preventing cancers by inhibiting cell proliferation.

The use and misuse of alcohol and marijuana can be traced to a common set of genes

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 18, 2009 | 2 / 5 (4) | 0

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Roughly eight to 12 percent of marijuana users are considered "dependent" and, just like alcohol, the severity of symptoms increases with heavier use. ...

Mutation leads to new and severe form of bacterial disease

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 18, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Everybody gets sick, but how sick you get is in your genes. New research now reveals a mutation on a gene that makes children susceptible to a severe form of mycobacterial disease. The work not only supports ...

New gene linked to congenital heart defects

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 17, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the UC San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues have identified a new gene, ETS-1, that is linked to human congenital heart defects. The landmark study, recently published online in the ...

Gene linked to a rare form of progressive hearing loss in males is identified

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 17, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A gene associated with a rare form of progressive deafness in males has been identified by an international team of researchers funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The gene, PRPS1, ...

Leprosy susceptibility genes reported

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 16, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

In the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of leprosy and the largest GWAS on an infectious disease, scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and 26 institutes in China identified seven genes that increase ...

Gene identified as cause of some forms of intellectual disability

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 15, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A gene involved in some forms of intellectual disability has been identified by scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as published this month in The American Journal of Human Genetics. The gene i ...

Genetic link to heart failure

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 15, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A team of researchers, at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, has identified a group of 12 genetic variants in the HSPB7 gene that is associated with heart failure in humans.

Scientists suggest certain genes boost chances for distributing variety of traits, drive evolution

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 14, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Genes that don't themselves directly affect the inherited characteristics of an organism but leave them increasingly open to variation may be a significant driving force of evolution, say two Johns Hopkins scientists.

Master gene Math1 controls framework for perceiving external and internal body parts

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 14, 2009 | 5 / 5 (3) | 0

Waking and walking to the bathroom in the pitch black of night requires brain activity that is both conscious and unconscious and requires a single master gene known as Math1 or Atoh1, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers ...

Study unveils potential genetic links to lung disease risk

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 14, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. The research, an analysis that combined the results of several smaller studies, provides ...

New genes for lung disease discovered

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 13, 2009 | 5 / 5 (3) | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have discovered five genetic variants that are associated with the health of the human lung. The research by an international consortium of 96 scientists from 63 centres in Europe and Australia ...

Amount of gene surplus determines severity of mental retardation in males

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 10, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

Researchers have discovered a new explanation for differences in the severity of mental illness in males. The more excess copies of a certain gene, the more serious the handicap. The genetic defect is situated on the X-chromosome; ...

Study identifies genetic predeterminants for diabetes in African-Americans

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 09, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

For years, scientists have tried to determine the basis for discrepancies between race and the predisposition for development of diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Could factors ...

More than fish bait: Worms unlock secrets to new epilepsy treatments

Medicine & Health / Genetics

Dec 09, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

A team of scientists from The University of Alabama used worms to reel in information that they hope will lead to a greater understanding of cellular mechanisms that may be exploited to treat epilepsy. In a new research report ...