regulator

Man and mouse share genome structures

...s regulatory structure, called chromatin, is a key regulator of gene expression in healthy and diseased cells, Bernstein said. Chromatin is composed of DNA spooled around bundles of histone proteins, and resembles a chain of beads which is then compressed into a working chromosome. Chemical tags placed on the ...

Fox Chase Cancer Center scientists identify immune-system mutation

...ll lineage. This indicates that Th-POK is a master regulator of the maturation process." Understanding the development of critical components of the immune system can contribute to medical advances in stimulating desirable immune responses and halting undesirable immune reactions, Kappes said. This understand...

New Technique for Tracking Gene Regulators

...e they describe thehuman-genome binding sites of a regulator protein known as CREB.“Though scientists have now decoded almost all of the entire humangenome ?the series of nucleotide bases (labeled A, T, G, and C) thatmake up the source code for running the machinery of the cell ?we arejust beginning to deciphe...

Novel Enzyme Shows Potential As An Anti-HIV Target

...or of transcription?, for example, is an essential regulator of HIV gene expression. Without Tat, HIV transcripts don’t reach full length and can’t effect viral replication. In a new study, Melanie Ott and colleagues identify an enzyme that regulates viral transcription by modifying Tat. The regulation of HIV...

Clam embryo study shows pollutant mixture adversely affects nerve cell development

...own as BCE--can act synergistically to alter a key regulator in nervecell development. While scientists have previously studied the effectsof these pollutants individually, this is the first time anyone hasdemonstrated that BCE's components can work together to adverselyaffect neuron growth in a model organism...

Yale Scientists Find MicroRNA Regulates Ras Cancer Gene

...hromosomal region associated with lung cancer as a regulator of Ras expression. DNA of plants and animals contains sequences encoding microRNAs, important regulators of development, that control processes determining cell type and cell death. "The let-7 microRNA regulates Ras by binding to the message for Ra...

Study identifies predictors of HIV drug resistance in patients beginning triple therapy

...own as BCE--can act synergistically to alter a key regulator in nervecell development. While scientists have previously studied the effectsof these pollutants individually, this is the first time anyone hasdemonstrated that BCE's components can work together to adverselyaffect neuron growth in a model organism...

How an AIDS-Related Cancer Unleashes Inflammation

...his activation leads to activation of the upstream regulator of MK2, which is p38. Thus, while we now understand the biology of this inflammation, the details of the biochemistry still need to be worked out," he said. While the new knowledge of kaposin B's role will contribute to understanding how the respons...

Viral protein influences key cell-signaling pathway

...ecades. "The p300 protein is an important central regulator of gene activity in lymphocytes and many other kinds of cells," says Michael Lairmore, professor and chair of veterinary biosciences and a member of the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center ?Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research I...

Insight into natural cholesterol control suggests novel cholesterol-lowering therapy

...ct role for lanosterol as a selective, physiologic regulator of reductase ubiquitination and degradation," said DeBose-Boyd. That effect would, in turn, control the rate of cholesterol production. "In addition to the biological significance, the findings have important clinical implications for cholesterol co...

New insight into regulation of blood stem cells

... in check. These data suggest that c-Myb is a key regulator of hematopoiesis and acts at many distinct points to control HSCs. "It is remarkable that a single transcription factor controls the diverse processes of self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation" says Dr. Cooke. "The next challenge is to unde...

Scientists identify molecule that regulates well-known tumor suppressor

...u, Ming-Sound Tsao, and Tak W. Mak: "DJ-1, a novel regulator of the tumor suppressor PTEN" Publishing in Cancer Cell, Volume 7, Number 3, March 2005, pages 263-273. http://www.cancercell.org ...

Defenseless plants arm themselves with metals

... environment. "Our goal is to find the high-level regulator - the one gene or group of genes that turns a plant into a hyperaccumulator," said David Salt, associate professor of plant molecular physiology in Purdue's horticulture department. "But we have no way to know what that gene is, so we need to deconst...

Medical whistleblowers speak out

... to - meaning basically that they're required by a regulator - and that rarely happens." The industry researcher explained that the studies that are the basis for regulatory approval are too small and are conducted over too brief a period to properly assess safety. There are "blockbuster drugs" out there, sai...

Mouse with designer liver has enhanced glucose tolerance, insulin response

...roteins. "We propose that Gab1 acts as a negative regulator on insulin signal strength in the liver," said Dr. Feng. "In this work, by making a new liver-specific gene knockout mouse model, we found a novel balancing mechanism for control of liver insulin signaling. Our observation might be instrumental for u...

Cousin of Asian super termite invades Florida

...ystem has a chemical called noviflumuron, a growth regulator that prevents termites from molting, thereby reducing the ability of the worker population to sustain underground colonies. The chemical has a low toxicity to humans and the environment. Less than one gram kills an entire colony containing millions o...

Chemical Engineer Kao Explores Antibiotic Synthesis With DNA Chips

... example, detected the presence of an unidentified regulator gene altering the timing of erythromycin production, but could not pinpoint the specific mutation. A similar study by Kao's group identified two genes responsible for overproduction of the antibiotic tylosin. Instead of increasing the length of time...

Newly discovered protein an important tool for sleeping sickness research

...re able to demonstrate that the protein is the key regulator of base J synthesis. This will provide the scientists a new tool to elucidate the biological function of this unique modified DNA base in the regulation of antigenic variation. If base J does indeed play a role in the gene silencing that enables the...

Breakthrough System for Understanding Ocean Plant Life Announced

...re able to demonstrate that the protein is the key regulator of base J synthesis. This will provide the scientists a new tool to elucidate the biological function of this unique modified DNA base in the regulation of antigenic variation. If base J does indeed play a role in the gene silencing that enables the...

Tamoxifen-like drug suggests new ways to selectively block estrogen

...icoids to treat inflammation." Since "the primary regulator of cofactor recruitment is receptor conformation," added study co-author Donald McDonnell of Duke, findings such as this should lead to the emergence of "a new wave of estrogen receptor modulators with improved specificity. We are moving, he said, "v...

Researchers discover stem cell 'guide' that may be key for targeting neural stem cell treatments

...hown by the same research group to be an important regulator of circadian rhythms. The current study appears in the June 24 issue of the journal Science. "One of the keys to developing promising new therapies for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases lies in our understanding of how new neurons are created ...

Specialized immune-system B cells play double-barreled role

...s deficient in a protein called CD19 that is a key regulator of B-1a cell function and development. Thus, the two mouse strains enabled the researchers to explore the consequences of too many or too few B-1a cells. Also, the strain lacking CD19, and therefore B-1a cells, enabled the researchers to isolate suff...

Montreal researchers probe the genetic basis of memory

...information into long-term memory, may be a master regulator of the switch from short-term to long-term memory. Their paper Translational control of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory by the eIF2a kinase GCN2, which was published in the August 25th issue of the journal Nature, provides the first geneti...

Decisions, decisions: Male or female?

...ity. "This work implicates that pathway as a key regulator of early decisions made by germ cells as to whether to eventually develop into eggs or sperm," Wawersik said. Though the team's observations were limited to the pathway's role in fruit fly germ cell communication, Van Doren said the same conduit als...

Scientists find microRNAs regulate plant development

...ion through cuttings. Auxin is known to be a major regulator of adventitious root formation and normal Arabidop...within the hypocotyl, pointing to ARF17 as a major regulator of adventitious rooting and microRNA-mediated regulation as a major regulator of ARF17. In a third ...

Attacks of King George III's madness linked to key metabolism molecule

...t be involved in porphyria, since PGC-1 alpha is a regulator of heme manufacture in the liver. One of its actions is controlling the activity of the ALAS-1 gene that makes a protein that's crucial to the normal manufacture of heme. A defect in this genetic signaling pathway could cause ALAS-1 to accumulate in ...

Gene controlling circadian rhythms linked to drug addiction

... pressure and heart activity, it may also be a key regulator of the brain's reward system. UT Southwestern res...at the gene controlling circadian rhythms is a key regulator of the brain's reward system and may influence the addictive properties of drugs such as cocaine. "...

MicroRNA tweaks protein that controls early heart development

...ed miR-1 targets the mRNA of the gene Hand2, a key regulator of heart formation. The microRNA turns off production of the Hand2 protein at precisely the right time to allow the proper development of heart muscle. "We think that Hand2 is necessary in the early stages of embryonic development to allow prolifera...

Sugar helps control cell division

...t a deceptively simple sugar is in fact a critical regulator of cells' natural life cycle. The discovery reveals that, when disturbed, this process could contribute to cancer or other diseases by failing to properly control the steps and timing of cell division, the researchers say. The findings are described...

Weight control protein may yield antiobesity drugs

...Our findings reveal SH2-B as an important positive regulator of leptin sensitivity inside cells of the brain region known as the hypothalamus," said senior author of the study, Liangyou Rui. The hypothalamus is a key area in the central nervous system that integrates neuronal, hormonal, and nutrient-related si...

New study shows SARS can infect brain tissue

...vered a high level of Mig, a type of immune system regulator called a chemokine, in the man's bloodstream and brain, which may have resulted from the central nervous system infection. The researchers speculated that Mig could also have contributed to his brain damage by attracting immunological cells to the si...

Researchers Discover Gene That Determines Asthma Susceptibility By Regulating Inflammation

...002, Biswal’s lab discovered Nrf2 acts as a master regulator of the majority of antioxidant pathways and detoxifying enzymes for environmental pollutants. This led researchers to consider the role of Nrf2 in lung inflammatory diseases caused by exposure to allergens. They found that the absence of the Nrf2 gen...

Firefly protein lets researchers monitor molecule linked to cancer

...This appears to put it in a position to be the key regulator of the pathway, and that has made it a subject of great interest both from the perspective of understanding how this pathway works and from that of developing new drugs for conditions that involve this pathway. " Piwnica-Worms' laboratory has previo...

Eliminating bacterial infections out of thin air

...OMPANYING COMMENTARY: Title: HIF-1alpha: a master regulator of innate host defenses? View the PDF of this article at: https://www.the-jci.org/article.php?id=25740 ...

Clean skies=faster global warming?

...OMPANYING COMMENTARY: Title: HIF-1alpha: a master regulator of innate host defenses? View the PDF of this article at: https://www.the-jci.org/article.php?id=25740 ...

Regenerating worms help elucidate stem cell biology

... is most similar to the protein PIWI, an important regulator of stem cells in organisms ranging from plants to humans. The replacement of tissue lost to injury or shed during the body's normal activities is essential for the survival of most organisms. The new study, published in the November 25, 2005, issue...

Mechanism for Epstein-Barr virus protein's role in blood cancers discovered

...ces. The retinoblastoma protein (Rb) is a major regulator of several genes in charge of cell proliferation and cell-cycle regulation. In the nucleus, Rb normally binds to E2F, turning off genes involved with cell proliferation. Using human cell cultures infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, the investigator...

Scientists move forward understanding of schizophrenia

..., researchers have discovered that DISC1 acts as a regulator for PDE4B, creating a 'pathway' between the two genes. Professor David Porteous at the University of Edinburgh said: "This is another important breakthrough in our still limited understanding of major mental illness. It is the result of a long term ...

Scientists map one of biology's critical light-sensing structures

...fungi. "This is probably the most important light regulator in agriculture," says Richard Vierstra, a UW-Madison plant geneticist and one of two collaborating senior authors of the Nature paper. "It tells plants when to germinate. It tells them where to grow to absorb the most light and to avoid competition. ...

Genes involved in biofilms

...of the process. The results showed that a positive regulator known as Pnp (Polynucleotide phosphorylase) exists and which regulates the accumulation of the main exopolysaccharide involved in the formation of the biofilm for this bacteria. Moreover, the second strategy arose during the development of a medium ...

Yale scientists decipher 'wiring pattern' of cell signaling networks

...n different cell types under the control of master regulator molecules called protein kinases. Although protein...hat are active in a cell. Protein kinases act as regulator switches and modify their target proteins by adding a phosphate group to them. This process, called ...

HIV accessory protein disables host immunity via receptor-protein intermediary

... that controls the action of NF-kB, a major immune regulator in the host cell. To verify their idea, the researchers used a mouse model in which PARP-1 was knocked out and found that their cells were immune to sepsis (pathogens and their toxins in the blood), because the NF-kB molecules did not go into overdri...

Researchers unlock how cells determine their functions

...they can help activate, rather than silence, a key regulator of animal development." ...

Clawed frog helps Fanconi anemia research make leaps

...udy, Hoatlin's lab already found that an important regulator of the cell's DNA damage-sensing mechanism controls some, but not all, of the Fanconi protein's arrival on replicating DNA. Stacie Stone, an OHSU graduate student and co-lead author of the study, believes Hoatlin's lab, where she has worked with fr...

Wisconsin scientists discover a master key to microbes' pathogenic lifestyles

...e fungi into pathogenic yeasts. "This is a global regulator that sends signals down a molecular chain of command and governs a series of vital genetic programs," Klein explains. "It leads to changes in the organism's metabolism, cell shape, cell wall composition, and changes in virulence gene expressions." T...

UF scientists reveal ancient origin of vertebrate skeleton

.... In addition, they isolated a gene called Sox9, a regulator of collagen gene activity in vertebrates. The results indicate the collagen-based skeleton evolved before the jawed and jawless vertebrates split into different paths, not afterward. In addition, the research shows that scientists have to dig beyond...

Master genetic switch found for chronic pain

... protein "transcription factor," which is a master regulator of multiple genes. Runx1 is one of a group of proteins that are key players involved in transmitting external sensory information, like pain and the perception of movement, to the spinal cord. In two other related papers in the same issue, Silvia Arb...

UF scientists reveal ancient origin of vertebrate skeleton

.... In addition, they isolated a gene called Sox9, a regulator of collagen gene activity in vertebrates. The results indicate the collagen-based skeleton evolved before the jawed and jawless vertebrates split into different paths, not afterward. In addition, the research shows that scientists have to dig beyond...

Scientists discover basic defect in cystic fibrosis airway glands

... for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a membrane channel regulator essential for proper salt and water movement across some epithelia. Currently, there are two essent...

New insight into machinery of immune cells' 'tentacles'

...t was known activation of the enzyme Rac was a key regulator of actin polymerization, but the downstream molecules in this pathway have remained elusive," said Pendergast. "The prevailing dogma was that this function is mediated by a protein called WASp. However, mice lacking WASp can still form immunological ...

HIV vaccine takes different tack to boosting immune response

...nd senior author of the study. "The natural immune regulator may not allow the immune system to respond to HIV infection strongly enough. So by relieving the 'brake,' we can hopefully overcome what is failing in the natural anti-HIV immune response." In the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, ...

Salmonella bacteria use RNA to assess and adjust magnesium levels

...ng the MgtA gene, which is controlled by the major regulator of Salmonella virulence, the phoP/phoQ system. The MgtA gene codes for a protein that can transport magnesium across the bacterium's cell membrane. Groisman's group showed 10 years ago that the phoP/phoQ system controls when Salmonella makes MgtA. ...

Researches discover gene critical for protection against septic-shock-induced death

... colleagues discovered that Nrf2 acts as a primary regulator of most of the cellular antioxidant pathways and detoxifying enzymes that protect the body from a wide variety of environmental toxicants. In subsequent studies, they discovered that Nrf2 is a pleiotropic protein thatregulates a broad spectrum of gen...

Novel connection found between biological clock and cancer

...mportant cell cycle regulator, and that cell cycle regulator in turn affects not only the cell cycle but also the clock. Recent evidence in mammalian cells shows that other cell cycle regulators physically interact with clock proteins. Loss of at least one clock protein (mammalian period-2) is known to incre...

Pigeons provide clue to solving common problem in heart patients

...ose back up after angioplasty. "We identified a regulator of genes that controls the growth of artery smooth muscle cells," said William Wagner, Ph.D., senior researcher. "Learning to modulate the uncontrolled growth of these cells could potentially solve the problem of vessels re-closing after angioplasty....

New pathways for autoimmune treatment identified

...lopecia has helped explain the imbalance of immune regulator and killer cells in autoimmune disease. Mutation in the Aire gene causes APS1, a disease causing two out of three problems ?an underactive parathyroid, yeast infection of the skin and/or mucous membrane and adrenal gland insufficiency ?by age 5 and...

Research identifies protein in mice that regulates bone formation

...s Runx2, a transcription factor that is the master regulator of osteoblast differentiation, which activates key bone formation genes. By removing Shn3 or WWP1, Runx2 doesnt degrade, which leads to increased bone mass. The authors believe that targeting Shn3 and WWP1 for drug discovery is an exciting prospect....

Research reveals control of potent immune regulator

...tudy reveals how the production of a potent immune regulator called interferon gamma (IFNg) is controlled in natural killer (NK) cells, immune cells that typically defend the body against cancer and infections. IFNg, produced by NK cells and other cell types, plays a critical role in killing pathogen-infecte...

Possible birthplace of malignant brain tumors identified

...cells in adults, and PDGF is known as an important regulator of such cells. Also, PDGF has been implicated as a key signaling molecule underlying the formation of brain tumors. PDGF triggers such cell response by plugging into the target receptor on the stem cell, like a key inserting into a lock. There had...

Study reveals how cells destroy faulty proteins in cystic fibrosis

... protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). People with cystic fibrosis do not have enough CFTR for their cells to work normally because their bodies quickly destroy the mutant protein. "Most cases of CF are caused by the inability of faulty CFTR to get in the correct shape, which ...