Amount of gene surplus determines severity of mental retardation in males
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...
View ArticleGene identified as cause of some forms of intellectual disability
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...
View ArticleGene linked to a rare form of progressive hearing loss in males is identified
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...
View ArticleMutation leads to new and severe form of bacterial disease
(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...
View ArticleChicago Cancer Genome Project studies genetics of 1,000 tumors
No two tumors are alike, but analyzing the genetics of cancers from different parts of the body may reveal surprising details useful for treatment and prevention.
View ArticleEvolution and ailments: Scientists suggest systemic changes are linked to...
(PhysOrg.com) -- The pressures of human evolution could explain the apparent rise of disorders such as autoimmune diseases and autism, researchers say. Some adaptations may even help such ailments...
View ArticleScientists use next-gen sequencing to rapidly discover genetic cause of...
Two scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) are part of an international team that has discovered a genetic mutation that causes Joubert Syndrome. JBTS, as it is commonly called, is a...
View ArticleIdentification of the gene responsible for a new form of adult muscular...
A study published in today's online edition the American Journal of Human Genetics, allowed the first identification of a new form of adult onset muscular dystrophy. The research team led by Dr....
View ArticleEpigenetic signals differ across alleles
Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King's College London, have identified numerous novel regions of the genome where the chemical modifications involved in controlling gene expression...
View ArticleLittle Fish, Big Science
(PhysOrg.com) -- The zebrafish population at Duke is about to boom. It turns out those puny, striped fish (they get their name honestly) that dart around many a household aquarium are ideal specimens...
View ArticleCellular RNA can template DNA repair in yeast
The ability to accurately repair DNA damaged by spontaneous errors, oxidation or mutagens is crucial to the survival of cells. This repair is normally accomplished by using an identical or homologous...
View ArticleGibbon genome sequence deepens understanding of primates rapid chromosomal...
With the completion of the sequencing and analysis of the gibbon genome, scientists now know more about why this small ape has a rapid rate of chromosomal rearrangements, providing information that...
View ArticleHuman faces are so variable because we evolved to look unique
The amazing variety of human faces – far greater than that of most other animals – is the result of evolutionary pressure to make each of us unique and easily recognizable, according to a new study by...
View ArticleWhy fruit flies are a good genetic model for human disease study
If you have a Facebook account, you are likely to have seen someone pour an ice bucket on themselves in the name of raising awareness for amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a disease that...
View ArticleHuman DNA shows traces of 40 million-year battle for survival between primate...
Examination of DNA from 21 primate species - from squirrel monkeys to humans - exposes an evolutionary war against infectious bacteria over iron that circulates in the host's bloodstream. Supported by...
View ArticleDo viruses make us smarter?
A new study from Lund University in Sweden indicates that inherited viruses that are millions of years old play an important role in building up the complex networks that characterise the human brain.
View ArticleProbing the deep history of human genes and language
Brown University evolutionary biologist Sohini Ramachandran has joined with colleagues in publishing a sweeping analysis of genetic and linguistic patterns across the world's populations. Among the...
View ArticleNew computation method helps identify functional DNA
Striving to unravel and comprehend DNA's biological significance, Cornell scientists have created a new computational method that can identify positions in the human genome that play a role in the...
View ArticleDid genetic links to modern maladies provide ancient benefits?
Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, can cause rashes that itch and sting.
View ArticleFeatures of language show a strong link to the geographic dispersal of human...
Geneticists have famously tracked small differences in the human genetic code to trace the evolution and spread of humans out of Africa. Languages can change more quickly than genes and are not...
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