Archive for the ‘Research’ Category
Addgene – Better Plasmid sharing
Another nifty utility, taping the potential of internet and its search capabilities for biological research, is Addgene - a comprehensive repository of plasmids.
Addgene is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the scientific community with open, efficient and affordable access to plasmid research tools.
The purpose of Addgene is compiling and distributing plasmids that appear in published articles as well as other useful constructs submitted by scientists. Linking plasmids with publications enables researchers to connect to the data generated from the materials they request.
Plasmids and related articles are searchable by gene name, backbone name, author, or article title or you can also browse through the collection.
Click here to see an example of a plasmid map generated using Addgene’s plasmid mapping program.
Biocomputer – the molecular doctor
Imagine a “biocomputer” inside your body monitoring what’s going on inside, identifying the unhealthy cells, and even releasing treatment dose. Thanks to researchers at Harvard and Princeton Universities, one day this may come true!!
Scientists have devised a tiny “biocomputer”, which can one day be implanted in human cells to monitor their activities and characteristics. Composed of only genetic materials, these “molecular doctors” hold the promise of revolutionizing medicine by targeting only diseased cells or tissues, leaving healthy ones completely unaffected.
These “biocomputers” are designed to detect anything from the presence of a mutated gene to the activity of genes within the cell using Boolean logic. To create a “molecular computer” capable of making decisions is a big challenge in itself and getting them to work in human cells is likely to be even trickier.
Primary goal involves injecting human cells with DNA to determine if a cell is cancerous or otherwise diseased. If disease is detected, the DNA might trigger an accurate treatment dose in response. As of now, researchers are in the testing stage of turning DNA into versatile computers (published online at Nature Biotechnology very recently).
Cells have short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules which recognize corresponding DNA sequences in genes, causing them to shut down. This system is based on the process RNA interference (RNAi).
Reference:
- Sciam
- Harvard press release
- Physorg
- Image via Sciam
Are Scientists Closer to Discovering a Fountain of Youth?
Scientific American: Are Scientists Closer to Discovering a Fountain of Youth?
International study kicked off by a prematurely aging boy provides insight into the mechanisms behind growing older
The case of a 15-year-old Afghan boy with a rare genetic condition that caused him to age rapidly may help scientists unlock the mysteries how and why we age, bringing them closer to finding a way to halt or dramatically slow the aging process.
Physicians discovered that the boy, admitted to a Dutch hospital in the 1990s suffering from symptoms including hypertension, hearing and vision loss, kidney failure, anemia and sensitivity to light, had a mutation in a key gene responsible for the enzyme that is essential to the repair of DNA damage in cells. The genetic flaw caused him to age prematurely and die essentially of old age before completing puberty.
Gene-Bender Proteins May Sway to DNA
Among the many genes packed into each cell of our body, those that get turned on, or expressed, are the ones that make us who we are. Certain proteins do the job of regulating gene expression by clasping onto key spots of DNA — the nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions.
How does the protein recognize a particular binding site? Structural changes in both the protein and DNA, sometimes with the DNA within the complex kinked or sharply bent, allow for the specific contacts needed for a tight DNA-protein fit.
Scientists think DNA is largely passive in this genetic tango. But new findings by Anjum Ansari, associate professor of biophysics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, suggest DNA may not be the wallflower that many had assumed.
Stretch a DNA Loop, Turn Off Proteins
It may look like mistletoe wrapped around a flexible candy cane. But this molecular model shows how some proteins form loops in DNA when they chemically attach, or bind, at separate sites to the double-helical molecule that carries life’s genetic blueprint.
Biologists have discovered that the physical manifestation of DNA loops are a consequence of many biochemical processes in the cell, such as the regulation of gene expression. In other words, these loops indicate the presence of enzymes or other proteins that are turned on. Now physicists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that stretching the DNA molecule can also turn off the proteins known to cause loops in DNA.
Gene linked to Autism identified
Researchers have not yet identified the exact cause of Autism. But certain findings strongly indicate that risk of Autism is not due to a single gene but due to multi-gene interaction and environmental factors.
The identification of a new gene linked to autism may help in knowing more about this mysterious condition.
Researchers identify gene linked to autism from PhysOrg.com
French researchers have discovered a new gene linked to autism, a mental disability which prevents sufferers from communicating and forming relationships normally and whose causes are unknown. The study, published Sunday online by Nature Genetics journal, found that all of five autistic children studied had anomalies in the SHANK3 gene, responsible for making the connections in the brain necessary for language development.The most distinctive symptoms of autism are problems with communication, forming relationships and developing strong obsessional traits.
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