These changes, known as epigenetic modifications, control
the activity of our genes without changing the actual DNA sequence.
Chemical modifications to DNA that change
the activity of genes without changing the genes» information differ between homosexual and heterosexual men, researchers from UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine have discovered.
Crucially, this molecule seems to damp down
the activity of a gene involved in glutamate signalling in the brain.
Such relaxation techniques can boost
the activity of genes involved in several processes beneficial to health, and they only take a few minutes each day to show results.
In the journal Cell on July 27, researchers show how this DNA variant enhances
the activity of a gene called endothelin - 1 (EDN1), which is known to promote vasoconstriction and hardening of the arteries.
So Shaharyar Khan of Gencia Corporation in Charlottesville, Virginia, and colleagues wondered if boosting
the activity of these genes might reverse decline.
Every genome contains many thousands of short bits of DNA called «enhancers,» whose role is to control
the activity of genes.
We have identified hundreds of genetic variations associated with autoimmune diseases that appear to affect
the activity of genes in specific regions of the genome, pointing to biological pathways that may be involved in disease and which, ultimately, may be treatable with medication.»
McCaffrey and his colleagues were trying to shut down
the activity of a gene in living mice, using a completely new type of drug.
Brains of individuals who died with Huntington's, Parkinson's or no neurological condition were analyzed using sequencing technology that provides a data readout of
the activity of all genes in the genome.
Prof. Khatri says the work still needs to be validated in a prospective trial, where
the activity of these genes will be tested on samples from patients with suspected but undiagnosed malaria.
Its altered form moves to the nucleus, where it increases
the activity of a gene involved in metastasis (The Journal of Clinical Investigation, DOI: 10.1172 / JCI40433).
The activity of genes involved in cholesterol production in the hypothalamus — an area involved in the brain's energy maintenance — was reduced by 25 per cent in both groups of diabetic mice.
«Our stem cell - based studies indicate that low - calorie sweeteners promote additional fat accumulation within cells compared with cells not exposed to these substances, in a dose - dependent fashion — meaning that as the dose of sucralose is increased more cells showed increased fat droplet accumulation,» said Sabyasachi Sen, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. «This most likely occurs by increasing glucose entry into cells through increased
activity of genes called glucose transporters.»
For example, aggressive animals had increased
activity of some genes for sensing dopamine.
Rather than search for changes in genes themselves, Pipes and her colleagues took an indirect approach, looking for differences in
the activity of genes in the foxes» brains.
The results, which focus on two choices near the start of embryo formation, show that, when cells are making decisions about what to become, there is greater variation in
the activity of the genes in different cells — the same genes may be turned on in some cells and off in others.
Berninger and others have previously shown that Sox2, Ascl1, and other transcription factors — proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences to control
the activity of genes — can induce the nonneuronal «support cells» known as glia to turn into neurons.
Later in life the genetic material can be changed by epigenetic modifications, i.e. chemical alterations of the DNA the affect
the activity of the genes.
And the switches can either increase or decrease
the activity of the genes they regulate.
Within the duplicate regions, Carmona - Mora and her colleagues discovered many switches, known as enhancers, important for controlling
activity of genes.
The investigators confirmed
the activity of genes at the newly identified loci by probing discarded corneal tissue from deceased individuals with and without Fuchs.
Significantly, treatment with 6AN specifically decreased
the activity of genes with malignant, cancer - spreading functions, like cell cycle control and DNA repair.
The term «epigenetics» refers to a vast array of molecular mechanisms that affect
the activity of genes.
The work and later experiments supported a 2009 idea proposed by Marcucio that
the activity of another gene, SHH (called sonic hedgehog), was critical for forming the beak.
At the core of this cell behavior is how the loss of that single gene changes activation levels of dozens of other genes, suppressing genes associated with metastatic disease and increasing
activity of genes linked to normal tissue.
The scientists found that both
the activity of the genes, as well as the production of the cholera toxin itself were increased when the bacterium was fed with glucose, but they were considerably decreased when it was fed with starch from rice.
Optogenetic methods and tools have evolved fast, and in addition to be able to control cellular activity, researchers can now control
the activity of gene function.
The pair of studies bring renewed focus to the epigenetics of T cells — the multilayered system of molecular switches, accelerators, and throttles that controls
the activity of genes.
First, they measured
the activity of genes in young adults as a reference point against which to monitor the aging process.
«Our team studied thousands of molecular clues in each of these samples, sifting through extensive data on
the activity of genes, proteins and other molecules to identify those of most interest,» says Katrina Waters, a biologist at PNNL and a corresponding author of the study.
«Our team studied thousands of molecular clues in each of these samples, sifting through extensive data on
the activity of genes, proteins, and other molecules to identify those of most interest,» said Katrina Waters, the leader of the PNNL team and a corresponding author of the paper.
Now a dramatic new accomplishment has been added to nitric oxide's repertoire: altering
the activity of genes.
They found that altering
the activity of a gene called Cdk5 appeared to make the clocks run faster than normal, and the flies older than their chronological age.
Many researchers think that it participates in controlling
the activities of genes and in helping the 1 metre of DNA present in each cell to twist and pack itself into the cell's minute nucleus.
A single injection of a new treatment has reduced
the activity of the gene responsible for Huntington's disease for several months in a trial in mice.
The research team used the latest molecular techniques to assess how
the activity of genes change as neurons form.
Modern humans showed big alterations in
the activity of genes associated with face shape and larynx shape, compared with our forebears.
In humans, a similar protein complex called CSN and its subunit CSN6 is now believed to be a cancer - causing gene that impacts
activity of another gene (Myc) tied to tumor growth.
There it changes
the activity of genes by adding or removing methyl groups.
Wray is particularly interested in DNA segments called enhancers, which control
the activity of genes nearby.
They play a key part in regulating
the activity of genes in many species, from yeast to humans Fewer than 10 years ago no one knew they existed
For example, investigators found that for the mouse immune system, metabolic processes and stress response,
the activity of some genes varied between mice and humans, which echoes earlier research.
The findings, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, shed light on
the activity of these genes and how they produce a natural immune response to the virus.
He has been studying differences in gene expression in infected and uninfected plants and finds that the fungus seems to increase
the activity of genes involved in seed production.
The findings shed light on
the activity of the gene WWOX.
But unlike DNA, which has a single job, RNA can play many parts — including acting as a precursor for small molecules that block
the activity of genes.
This new DNA evidence directly measured
the activity of all genes in the offspring of hatchery and wild fish.
The researchers now intend to find out what molecular mechanisms result from
the activity of a gene transcribed from multiplied chromosomes.
«This tells us that the NuRD complex is very influential — not only does it affect
the activity of genes directly, it also controls other regulators of multiple genes,» Bonni said.