Hundreds Of Cell-surface Proteins Can Be Simultaneously Studied With New Technique

So far, complex tissue cancer can only be diagnosed by using the antibodies method which will binds to the specific protein on the cancer cell’s surface. However, researches in Institute for Molecular Systems Biology at ETH Zurich and Julian Watts from the Institute of Systems Biology in Seattle (USA) had come out with the new method to develop better antibodies know as “Cell Surface-Capturing” (CSC).

According to the researcher’s leader, Bernd Wollscheid, this technique can identify a large number of proteins on the cell’s surface at certain time. The successful behind this method is, the researches use the fact that the protein’s surface is all glycoprotein in which then will broken into fragments by using an enzyme. Next, the protein’s fragments that attached to the sugar residue will then extracted by matching counterpart to the adaptor. Thus, these extracted fragments can be analysis for the mass and composition through the comparison with the protein databanks.

In short, through this new technology, different cell types or cancer forms and stages can be distinguished by looking at the differences in the quantity and type of the proteins on the cell’s surface.

By: 42111278

Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090606194216.htm

Intelligence Gene Identified

Researchers at The Zucker Hillside Hospital campus have discovered that the dysbindin-1 gene (DTNBP1) might have an influence on intelligence which is also linked to schizophrenia. "We looked at several DNA sequence variations within the dysbindin gene and found one of them to be significantly associated with lower general cognitive ability in carriers of the risk variant compared with non-carriers in two independent groups," said Katherine Burdick, leading researcher.

The experiment was carried out by measuring the cognitive performance of 213 patients with schizophrenia and 126 healthy volunteers. Researchers then analysed 6 specific variations of the participants’ SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in the dysbindin-1 gene and discovered a correlation between one particular pattern, known as the haplotype, and general cognitive ability. Their data showed that there was a significant impairment in cognition in schizophrenia patient and carriers of this risk variant in the dysbindin-1 gene.

However this only accounts for about 3% of intelligence influence on humans while multiple genetic and environmental influences are the main factors. From previous understanding, the main function of dysdindin, however still debated, enables communication between brain cells whilst maintaining their survival in regions of learning, problem solving, judgment, memory and comprehension. If, however, an alteration has occurred in the dysbindin gene, this could reduce its effectiveness in maintaining the life span of brain cells and results in an increase in interruption between cell communications. Such discoveries as these could be the stepping stone in defining the origin of intelligences or assist in the further development in intelligence in humans.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060427161424.htm

GM MONKEY WITH JELLYFISH GENE

Eight years back ANDi, the first genetically modified monkey carried green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene which being transferred from its parents. However, this is a faulty gene since ANDi cannot glow green as expected.

Now in present scientist is inserting this green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene into marmoset which is another monkey species. This is a very important research since if this genetic modification is a success, scientist will use GM monkey to study human disease since GM primates provide better model than GM mice.

For this research, viral vectors method was used to introduce green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene from jelly fish into the host cell (marmoset).The modified virus that carried the gene of interest is injected into the monkey embryos. Then, these embryos being inserted into seven surrogate mothers which four gave birth, producing 1 male and 4 female marmosets that carried the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene.

Later, when the male baby was sexually mature, he successfully fathered a single offspring which also glowed green, showing that it had inherited the GFP gene. One of the females also produced IVF embryos carrying the gene thus shows that this research is success.

References:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17194

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn319-monkey-business.html

By: Siti Nur Hasanah Binti Mohd Yusuf

42102052

Genetic Link Found for Allergies and Asthma

There are many of us that suffer from allergies, from asthma to cat allergies. The good news is that research is beginning to show why these allergies occur and eventually new medications can treat allergies and other related issues. The Journal of Leukocyte Biology published a paper about newly discovered cellular on and off switch for allergies and asthma. The scientists who published this paper have determined that there is a gene which turns the immune system on and off. And that a miss function of this gene is what causes allergies and asthma.
Bone marrow cells are responsible for producing mast cells and cytokines; the cytokines essentially turn the immune system on. The bone marrow also uses the cytokines as an off switch to stop the production of mast cells. By experimenting with mice showed researchers that the “off switch” did not work correctly in those mice which were prone to allergies.
Therefore this research has concluded that allergies may be caused by genes which prevent the “off switch” from working properly. This research may lead to new treatments for allergies which will fix the problem which causes allergies instead of the allergies themselves.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (2009, May 4). Cellular On And Off Switch For Allergies And Asthma Discovered. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2009/04/090430101451.htm

First Testicular Cancer Risk Genes Found

A study conducted by the Institute of Cancer Research has found the first genes linked to testicular cancer. The genes of 730 men, who had at some time developed testicular cancer, were compared with those of healthy men. Most of the men who suffered from testicular cancer shared common DNA variants on chromosomes 5, 6 and 12, that weren’t present in the other men.

It has been known for some time that there was an hereditary aspect of the gene, but this is the first time that a gene has been pinpointed. The study found that men possessing these genes can be at a significantly higher risk of developing testicular cancer than men who don’t. Men who inherit the strongest of the three genes can be up to 3 times as likely to fall victim to testicular cancer. Men who have inherited all three of the DNA variants can be up to four times more likely to develop testicular cancer.

Researchers believe there are still more genetic risk factors related to testicular cancer. With the knowledge gained from this study, scientists are one step closer to being able to identify men of high risk factors, possibly leading to early detection or prevention.

Full article available from:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152190.php

By Melanie Johnston- 42001436

Discovery of a genetic link to reoccurring hair loss

A recent investigation undertaken by the National Institute of Genetics in Tokyo has identified a gene associated with hair loss (1). The findings of this study indicate that by blocking the activity of the Sox21 gene in mice, cyclic alopecia (or re-occurring hair loss) can be induced.

Previously linked to the formation of nerve cells, the Sox21 gene encodes for proteins which are capable of binding to DNA and are believed to assist in controlling the expression of specific genes. Kiso and co-researchers (2009) genetically engineered mice which were Sox21 gene deficient, and found that the hair of the mice fell out soon after birth, resulting in a completely hairless phenotype by the time the mice were 25 days old. Following this baldness, the mice hair took extended periods of time to grow back, only to fall out again.

When examining the expression of genes in the skin cells of the mice lacking Sox21 compared to normal mice, 5 genes were more active and 114 were less active. The less active genes are those which produce structural proteins and proteins which allow cells to adhere to one another. Examples of such cells are the keratin proteins, which are formed in hair cuticle cells. From this information, it can therefore be concluded, that a lack of the Sox21 gene causes a lower expression of the interlocking protein structures which anchor the hair shaft in the hair follicle, resulting in reoccurring hair loss.

It is thought that this gene functions in a similar way in humans as it does in the mice model. If, with further research, this suggestion remains true then investigation into the expression of Sox21 may lead to novel strategies for treating patients with hair loss disorders. The gene may also prove to be a useful indicator for people who are predisposed to hair loss. It is important however, that, as this gene is linked to the development of nerve cells, precautions are taken when influencing its expression in human.

Reference:
(1) Kiso, M, Tanaka, S, Saba, R, Matsuda, S, Shimizu, A, Ohyama, M, Okano, H, Shiroishi, T, Okano, H & Saga, Y, 2009, ‘The disruption of Sox21-mediated hair shaft cuticle differentiation causes cyclic alopecia in mice’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Available: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/05/25/0808324106.abstract

Original Article:
NHS Choices, 2009, Scientist ‘find hair loss gene’, 27 May, Accessed: 1/06/09 Available: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/05May/Pages/HairLossGeneBaldnessCure.aspx

Emma Davis (42065885)

World First: Chinese Scientists Create Pluripotent Stem Cells From Pigs

Scientists have managed to induce cells from pigs to transform into pluripotent stem cells. It is the first time in the world that this has been achieved using somatic cells from any animal with hooves.

Dr Xiao, leader of the research, and his colleagues succeeded in generating induced pluripotent stem cells by using transcription factors to reprogram cells taken from a pig's ear and bone marrow. A virus introduced the reprogramming factors into the cells and they changed and developed in the laboratory into colonies of embryonic-like stem cells. Further tests confirmed that they were pluripotent stem cells.

Pig pluripotent stem cells are useful in a number of ways, such as precisely engineering transgenic animals for organ transplantation therapies and creating models for human genetic diseases. To combat the swine flu, for instance, a precise, gene-modified pig could be made to improve the animal's resistance to the disease.

This could be done by first finding a gene that has anti-swine flu activity, or inhibits the proliferation of the swine flu virus and then introducing this gene to the pig via pluripotent stem cells. Alternatively, the swine flu virus receptor can be knocked out from the pig via gene targeting in the pluripotent stem cells so that the virus cannot proliferate and infect the pig.

The next stage of his research is to use the pig iPS cells to generate gene-modified pigs that could provide organs for patients, improve the pig species or be used for disease resistance.


Posted by:
42095743

Original Link:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090602192557.htm

Journal reference:
Wu et al. Generation of pig induced pluripotent stem cells with a drug-inducible system. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/jmp003