Navigation Links
Junk DNA may not be so junky after all

Researchers at the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins have invented a cost-effective and highly efficient way of analyzing what many have termed "junk" DNA and identified regions critical for controlling gene function. And they have found that these control regions from different species don't have to look alike to work alike.

The study will be published online at Science Express March 23.

The researchers developed a new system that uses zebrafish to test mammalian DNA and identify DNA sequences, known as enhancers, involved in turning on a gene. In studying RET, the major gene implicated in Hirschsprung disease and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN2), the team identified DNA sequences that can control RET but had not been identified using standard methods. Hirschsprung disease, also known as congenital megacolon, is a relatively common birth defect marked by bowel obstruction. MEN2 is an inherited predisposition to neuroendocrine cancers.

The notion that mutations in enhancers play a role in human disease progression has been difficult to confirm because usually enhancers are located in the 98 percent of the human genome that does not code for protein, termed non-coding DNA. Unlike DNA sequences that code for protein, non-coding DNA, sometimes referred to as "junk" DNA, follows few rules for organization and sequence patterns and therefore is more difficult to study.

"The difficulty with human genetic approaches to common disease is that we lack the power to precisely localize DNA sequences that are associated with disease, often leaving us immense stretches of DNA to look at," says one of the study's corresponding authors, Andy McCallion, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the McKusick-Nathans Institute. Most often one is limited to looking in the most obvious places, which may not yield the best results. "Until now," he says, "we've only been able to look under the lamplights for the car keys."

Tra
'"/>

Source:Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions


Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Mouse brain cells rapidly recover after Alzheimers plaques are cleared
2. Does vitamin C help prevent or treat the common cold? Maybe not, after all.
3. Stem cell treatment improves mobility after spinal cord injury
4. Bad aftertaste? New sensory on/off switch may cure bane of artificial sweetener search
5. New type of rejection blocker protects kidneys after transplant
6. Hurricane aftermath: Infectious disease threats from common, not exotic, diseases
7. Bone marrow stem cells may heal hearts even years after heart attacks
8. Many smokers fail to quit after cancer diagnosis
9. Getting an evolutionary handle on life after reproduction
10. Stroke treatment a step closer after trial
11. Hormonal male contraception reversible after few months for all men
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
TAG: Junk DNA may not junky after all

(Date:6/18/2013)... expecting a very large "dead zone" in the Gulf ... in the Chesapeake Bay this year, based on several ... of Michigan, Louisiana State University, and the Louisiana ... of Mexico hypoxic "dead" zone will be between 7,286 ... the ten largest recorded. That would range from an ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... awarded $12.7 million to match nine academic research ... to explore new treatments for patients in eight ... and schizophrenia. The collaborative pilot initiative, called Discovering ... by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences ... , The process of developing a new therapeutic ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Bethesda, MD, June 18, 2013: The Association for Molecular ... Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) on ... for membership on June 3, 2013. , The ... individuals and share a common vision for the advancement ... "Basic biomedical and translational research is more important now ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 3NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 4NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 2NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 3NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 4
... sites of fundamental geodynamic, geochemical and biological processes and ... for us. Scientific marine drilling and coring is crucial ... (sub-) seafloors to advance our knowledge in the Earth ... (ESF) European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) programme EuroMARC is an ...
... Calif., November 23, 2008 -- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ... Nature Medicine that supports the broad ... antibody platform, showing that its PS-targeting drug bavituximab ... models. Bavituximab is in clinical ...
... Futronic Technology Company Limited, a,global provider of ... of FS22, a high performance fingerprint access and,attendance ... launched,FS21M (mid-range device) and FS20 (low cost device), ... and attendance control device.,FS22 uses a powerful Digital ...
Cached Biology News:Europe cores in EUROCORES: Ocean drilling in EuroMARC 2Europe cores in EUROCORES: Ocean drilling in EuroMARC 3Europe cores in EUROCORES: Ocean drilling in EuroMARC 4Europe cores in EUROCORES: Ocean drilling in EuroMARC 5Nature Medicine study shows Peregrine's bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections 2Nature Medicine study shows Peregrine's bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections 3Futronic Launches FS22 Fingerprint Access Control Device 2
(Date:6/18/2013)... , June 18, 2013  AMRI (NASDAQ: ... Burlington, Mass. , site has received ... Administration (DEA) registration to handle Schedule 2 and ... acknowledgement of Burlington,s physical ... documentation. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120229/NY61160LOGO ) ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... ZIONA, Israel , June 18, 2013 ... complex bulk Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), generic and innovative intermediates, ... announced today that the company has been granted a ... indicated in the US and Europe ... US Patent number 8,410,176 B2 is titled Intermediate Compounds ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Canada (PRWEB) June 18, 2013 ... oversight of pharmaceutical advertising and promotion, and review ... Viewers will learn how to apply these principles ... examples:, ,     The fundamentals on FDA ... and promotional labeling ,     Assessing traditional and ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... , June 18, 2013 ... has announced the addition of the ... Microspheres, & Nanoparticles], Devices [Disposables & Reusable, ... Auto Injectors] & Therapeutics [Diabetes & Oncology] ... to their offering.      (Logo: ...
Breaking Biology Technology:AMRI Burlington Receives DEA Approval to Handle Controlled Substances 2Mapi Pharma Granted United States Patent for Pain Relief Medication "Tapentadol" 2Drug Advertising and Promotion Labeling: FDA Regulations, New Webinar Hosted by Xtalks 2Injectable Drug Delivery Market by Formulations, Devices & Therapeutics - Global Forecasts to 2017 2Injectable Drug Delivery Market by Formulations, Devices & Therapeutics - Global Forecasts to 2017 3
... Novocell, Inc. , a preclinical stage diabetes ... award totaling $20 million from the California Institute for Regenerative ... scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), led ... million. The funding will advance Novocell,s development of a first ...
... Nev., Oct. 28 PDL BioPharma, Inc. (PDL) (Nasdaq: ... a $300 million securitization transaction intended to monetize certain ... closing of the transaction, which is expected to occur ... QHP Royalty Sub LLC ("QHP"), a newly-formed wholly-owned subsidiary ...
... Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX ) announced ... joint venture between Cadila Pharmaceuticals in India, has ... will be used to produce pandemic and seasonal ... virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine technology to produce commercial-scale ...
Cached Biology Technology:Novocell Receives a Disease Team Award for $20 Million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to Develop a Stem Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Diabetes 2PDL BioPharma Announces Pricing of $300,000,000 Securitization Transaction 2PDL BioPharma Announces Pricing of $300,000,000 Securitization Transaction 3Novavax and CPL Biologicals Break Ground on New Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in India 2Novavax and CPL Biologicals Break Ground on New Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in India 3Novavax and CPL Biologicals Break Ground on New Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in India 4Novavax and CPL Biologicals Break Ground on New Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Facility in India 5
SDS-OutT Precipitation Reagent...
Physical Form: saline suspension with ethanol Particle Dim: mean particle size 50 μm Matrix: HyperD F. Useful for the removal of detergents from protein samples....
Designed for use with the Agencourt SprintPrep 384 kit and all MCPrep reagent kits. Used with flat bottom 96-well microplates such as deep well plates used to culture bacteria....
ID clarifier: non-treated with lid...
Biology Products: