Add BrightSurf on Google Email

The 'evolution' of Little Red Riding Hood

A new study using phylogenetic analysis explores the relationships among different folktales, including 'Little Red Riding Hood', to identify distinct groups spread across regions and cultures. The research suggests that folktales evolve gradually over time, with elements blending together as they spread.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 13, 2013

An easier way to control genes

Researchers developed a new method to control genes by targeting transcription, allowing for positive and negative regulation with the same protein. The technique has the potential to enable complex synthetic biology circuits and applications such as disease detection and drug production.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalACS Synthetic Biology·DateSep 3, 2013

Researchers identify genetic root of mountain sickness

Scientists sequenced entire genomes of high-altitude individuals and found 11 regions with significant differences between those with chronic mountain sickness and healthy controls. The study identified two genes, SENP1 and ANP32D, which were expressed more in individuals with the condition in response to low oxygen levels.

SourceCell Press·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateAug 15, 2013

Disabling cancer cells' defenses against radiation

Researchers at Winship Cancer Institute developed a technique to remove cancer cells' defenses against radiation by disabling their ability to repair DNA. The experimental method uses RNA molecules that shut down genes needed for DNA repair, making brain and lung cancer cells more sensitive to X-ray radiation.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalCancer Research·DateMar 15, 2012

Small molecules shed light on cancer therapies

Researchers at the University of Illinois have identified 25 microRNAs associated with glioblastoma survival and discovered 20 new microRNAs linked to initiation or growth of other cancer types. These findings suggest common pathways that can be targeted with similar drugs, offering hope for improved treatment options.

Mastermind steroid found in plants

Researchers have identified about a thousand brassinosteroid target genes, revealing molecular links between the steroid and various cellular functions. The study provides the first comprehensive action map for a plant hormone, accelerating basic plant science and crop research.

SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateNov 15, 2010

Scripps Research scientists identify new mechanism regulating daily biological rhythms

Researchers have identified a novel mechanism regulating circadian rhythms that could provide a new target for treating jet lag, shift work, sleep disturbances, diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer. The discovery offers hope for modulating the body's core clock using synthetic ligands targeting nuclear receptors.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateNov 11, 2010

Worm genes KO'd

Researchers at the University of Utah have developed a procedure to delete specific genes from nematode worms, allowing them to infer the function of each gene and thereby understand human gene regulation. The technique, called MosDel, uses a transposon to cut out genes and exploit cell DNA repair mechanisms.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalNature Methods·DateApr 25, 2010

Chasing tiny vehicles

A research team has used single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to follow magnetic nanoparticles as they transport genes or drugs into target cells in real-time. The study reveals bottlenecks in nanoferry transport and provides insights into optimizing existing systems, potentially leading to breakthroughs in gene therapy.

SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalJournal of Controlled Release·DateJul 20, 2009

Johns Hopkins researchers edit genes in human stem cells

Johns Hopkins researchers have made a breakthrough in editing human stem cells, enabling the development of patient-specific therapies for rare blood diseases like paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). The team successfully targeted and edited a gene responsible for causing PNH, improving on standard gene targeting technology.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalCell Stem Cell·DateJun 18, 2009

Managing microRNAs

Researchers have discovered that microRNAs dampen target gene expression in specific cells by working in concert with other regulatory processes. Key muscle-regulatory miRNAs, such as miR-1 and miR-133, function to mediate actin organization in developing muscles.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalGenes & Development·DateFeb 25, 2009

Mount Sinai researchers discover technology that silences genes

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have developed a new gene silencing technology that can effectively suppress transcriptional expression of targeted genes in human cells, including those linked to various diseases. This breakthrough could pave the way for preventing diseases where gene dysfunction plays a role.

University of Alberta researchers find new cause of blindness

Researchers at the University of Alberta have found a new cause of blindness linked to a gene that regulates pH levels in the retina. The study suggests that targeting this process could lead to potential treatments for previously unknown causes of blindness, including hereditary vitreoretinal degenerations.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateSep 4, 2007

Flies can turn off their immune response

Researchers found that flies have a complex immune system regulated by AP-1 and STAT transcription factors, which edit and repress the immune response to prevent 'friendly fire'. This mechanism is evolutionarily conserved to maintain balanced immune responses.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateSep 3, 2007

Masterminding muscle development

Researchers discovered that MAML1 plays a crucial role in regulating muscle cell differentiation, with increased expression leading to enhanced myotube formation and muscle-specific gene expression. The study also found that MAML1 works together with MEF2C to 'turn on' genes required for muscle development.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalGenes & Development·DateFeb 27, 2006

How could a Roberts-Alito court support the Republican political agenda?

The research examines how the U.S. Supreme Court can assist powerful officials in achieving their ideological objectives through direct political action. Key findings include states as a crucial factor in generating national political support for judicial review and the importance of entrenched interests and fragmented coalitions in sh...

SourceAmerican Political Science Association·JournalAmerican Political Science Review·DateNov 10, 2005

Researchers selectively silence disease-causing gene

Scientists have successfully silenced mutant genes without affecting normal gene copies using RNA interference, a promising approach for treating diseases like Machado-Joseph disease, Huntington's, and Alzheimer's. This breakthrough technique has the potential to selectively turn off disease-causing genes, preserving essential normal g...

SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 27, 2003