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Mutations Extending Lifespan Induce Expression Of Germline Genes In Somatic Cells
In the sense that organisms existing today are connected through a chain of life - through their parents, grandparents and other ancestors - almost a billion years back to the first animals of the pre-Cambrian era, an animal"s reproductive cells can be considered to be immortal. These germline cells generate their offspring"s somatic cells - other cells involved in all aspects of growth, metabolism and behavior, which have a set lifespan - and new germline cells that continue on, generation after generation.

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Government Of Canada Supports Research To Help Address Medical Isotope Shortage
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced recently that the Government of Canada is supporting research to find alternatives to nuclear-produced Technetium-99m, the principal medical isotope affected by the current shutdown at the Chalk River nuclear reactor. Health professionals use medical isotopes in combination with imaging technologies to diagnose and treat conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
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Individuals Genetically At Risk Of Developing Psychological Disorders Also Benefit The Most From Positive Environments
Certain individuals have long been regarded as particularly susceptible to developing behavioural and emotional problems when they experience negative environmental conditions, due to the fact that they carry so-called "vulnerability genes". Existing research suggests, for instance, that such "genetically vulnerable" individuals are most likely to become impulsive and hyperactive if their mothers smoked while pregnant, to behave anti-socially if subjected to child abuse, and to become depressed if exposed to many negative life events (e.g., divorce, unemployment). But a new evaluation of existing gene-by-environment interaction (GXE) research highlighting such genetic vulnerability to adversity challenges this traditional interpretation of existing evidence. Research published in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that those carrying "vulnerability genes" are not only more likely than others to be adversely affected by negative experiences but to also benefit more than others from positive environments, making them more malleable or plastic, not just vulnerable. This novel interpretation of old and new findings suggests that "vulnerability genes" might be better conceptualised as "plasticity or malleability genes" because carriers are more affected, for better and for worse, by positive and negative environmental conditions.
Endocrinology

Shedding Light On DNA Mechanisms

By manipulating individual atoms in DNA and forming unique molecules, a Georgia State University researcher hopes to open new avenues in research towards better understanding the mechanisms of DNA replication and transcription, and perhaps leading to new treatments for diseases. Chemistry and chemical biology Professor Zhen Huang and his lab were able for the first time, to manipulate groups of molecules, called methyl and phosphate groups, in DNA that has been altered to contain selenium in order to bring them close enough together to form hydrogen bonds. Such interactions may reduce the energy needed for a process called DNA duplex separation, thereby playing a role in the unwinding of DNA, which must happen in order for the genetic code to be copied and transcribed during cell replication and transcription. The research also helps to explain how energy is used in the process, Huang said. "Assume that you want to do something, like to move an object from downstairs to upstairs, or building a pyramid where heavy blocks have to be transported," Huang said. "You need lots of energy for these processes. "If you need lots of energy, it will be a slow process or become inhibited because it consumes too much energy." With DNA in humans, the genome is comprised of about 3 billion base pairs, which are part of DNA"s "ladder" in the double helix which forms the code that causes certain genetic traits. If it takes a lot of energy to unwind DNA in order to duplicate, the process is slowed. On the other hand, if cellular dividing is too fast, DNA isn"t copied properly with full length, which causes unhealthy cells to be formed. New research directions may open from the study, which could also have practical implications, Huang said, such as better understanding how RNA, which is involved in protein synthesis, is transcribed and works. If scientists know the shape and structure of DNA and RNA, scientists can design drugs to bind to the molecules in question - inhibiting the expression and progression of a disease, thus killing it off - whether it"s cancer, HIV or any other viruses. The research appears in the June 8, 2009 edition of Chemical & Engineering News and in the June 2009 edition of Organic Letters. Jeremy Craig Georgia State University


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