FANTOM findings boost for biologists

... ). Further research published in BMC Bioinformatics highlights two new data-driven normalization methods for quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) experiments with larger data sets. Another study published in Genome Biology includes the first genome-wide ...

Efavirenz-based initial therapies associated with better outcomes in HIV-infected adults

... countries in Africa with the majority in South Africa. Current World Health Organization guidelines recommend the use of a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor such as nevirapine or efavirenz in resource limited settings. Nearly 67 percent of countries in sub-Saharan Africa recommend ...

Landmark study opens door to new cancer, aging treatments

... crystals of a molecule, to determine the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme's active regionthe catalytic component called telomerase reverse transcriptase protein, or TERT. The study revealed surprising features, including the fact that the molecule's three domains are organized into a doughnut ...

UGA researchers discover mechanism that explains how cancer enzyme winds up on ends of chromosomes

... cancer cells in order to identify factors that impact human telomerase localization," said Michael Terns. "Our results indicate that human reverse transcriptase is a key determinant in human telomerase trafficking and is essential for the localization of telomerase RNA both to Cajal bodies and telomeres." ...

New field-deployable biosensor detects avian influenza virus in minutes instead of days

... channel changed creating this phase change, explained Xu. Current methods of identifying infected birds include virus isolation, real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) and antigen capture immunoassays. Virus isolation is a sensitive technique, but typically requires five to seven ...

Viral 'fitness' explains different resistance patterns to aids drugs

... Explaining the study results, Bangsberg said, "A non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), for example, can be taken one time by a pregnant woman ... potent PI) and two different antiretrovirals from the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor class. ...

Resistant HIV quickly hides in infants' cells

... with drug-resistant HIV transmitted from their mothers—a surprisingly high figure. Of those five, four were resistant to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), a common class of antiretroviral drug used to treat HIV infection and to prevent mother-to-child transmission. All had uncommon ...

Targeted virus compels cancer cells to eat themselves

... the material to be consumed, then everything inside is digested. Kondo and colleagues showed that hTERT-Ad (short for human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter regulated adenovirus) infected the glioma cells and induced autophagy by inactivating a molecular pathway -- the mammalian target of ...

Major WHO study concludes calcium supplements can reduce complications during pregnancy

... are finding that other binding sites can be important. For HIV/AIDS, an important class of drugs called non-nucleotide inhibitors for reverse transcriptase typically bind at such alternate sites." Once Perryman had a hypothesis to test in a second round of simulations -- the proposed mechanics of the ...

Computer simulation hints at new HIV drug target

... are finding that other binding sites can be important. For HIV/AIDS, an important class of drugs called non-nucleotide inhibitors for reverse transcriptase typically bind at such alternate sites." Once Perryman had a hypothesis to test in a second round of simulations -- the proposed mechanics of the ...

Study shows that cells have a natural defense against HIV

... cDNA was being destroyed before it integrated. To answer that question, the researchers used antiretroviral drugs known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). These drugs prevent HIV from making the cDNA copy of its RNA genetic material. The researchers exposed newly infected cells to ...

SLU researchers uncover direct evidence on how HIV invades healthy cells

... processes viral proteins and is essential to make infectious virus. Drugs such as AZT and drug combinations (cocktails) exist to inhibit reverse transcriptase and protease. As of yet, there are no drugs to counter integrase. By using a biophysical methodology known as Fluorescence Resonance Energy ...

HIV inserts into human genome using a DNA-associated protein

... using a molecular tether. Retroviruses contain RNA in their particles. They enter a cell and convert RNA into DNA by the enzyme reverse transcriptase and then integrate that DNA copy into the DNA of the host, using the integrase enzyme. The new viral particles are made by transcription of the viral ...

Researchers use RNAi libraries to identify regulators of apoptosis and chemoresistance

... with the retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 tumor suppressor pathways, which normally act to keep cell growth in check, as well as human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the enzyme that protects the ends of chromosomes during cell division. This enzyme is associated with the progression of many cancers. None ...

Ibruprofen and other commonly used painkillers for treating inflammation may increase the risk of heart attack

... with the retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 tumor suppressor pathways, which normally act to keep cell growth in check, as well as human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the enzyme that protects the ends of chromosomes during cell division. This enzyme is associated with the progression of many cancers. None ...

Engineered skin offers clues to melanoma development

... with the retinoblastoma (Rb) and p53 tumor suppressor pathways, which normally act to keep cell growth in check, as well as human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the enzyme that protects the ends of chromosomes during cell division. This enzyme is associated with the progression of many cancers. None ...

Biochemists report discovery of structure of major piece of telomerase; implications for cancer

... For telomerase to be active, it needs the telomerase RNA and a protein called human telomerase reverse transcriptase, which is related to the reverse transcriptase protein that is important for replicating the AIDS virus. Feigon's laboratory has been working on the RNA. "It is a dream of mine to figure out ...