Latest Chromosome Stories
Most of the time cancer seems to creep up gradually over time; cells become premalignant, then increasingly abnormal before they become cancerous. But sometimes cancers seem to pop up as if out of nowhere. Now, researchers reporting in the January 7th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have new evidence to explain how that can happen. Based on the DNA sequences of multiple cancer samples of various types, they show that cancer can arise suddenly in the aftermath of one-off...
University of Adelaide researchers are a step closer to unraveling the mysteries of human sexual development, following genetic studies that show male mice can be created without a Y chromosome "“ through the activation of an ancient brain gene.Males usually have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. A single gene on the Y, called SRY, triggers testes development in the early embryo, and once these begin to form, the rest of the embryo also becomes...
A team of reproductive scientists have successfully produced both male and female mice using two different fathers, according to a study published online Wednesday in the journal Biology of Reproduction.According to a December 8 press release from Biology of Reproduction publishers the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR), the research "could be a step toward preserving endangered species, improving livestock breeds, and advancing human assisted reproductive technology (ART). It...
A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) has demonstrated a novel and accurate test for early diagnosis of Turner syndrome. Turner syndrome affects one in 1,500 to 2,000 female live births and early diagnosis allows for the timely management of short stature and co-morbid conditions including cardiac and renal problems.Turner syndrome (TS) is the most common genetic problem affecting girls with short stature....
A variety of genetic factors are involved in sex determination. If something goes wrong with one of these factors, people who have a chromosome set that predicts they will be of one sex may develop as the other sex or have traits on the spectrum between the two sexes. There can be emotional and social stress associated with disorders of sex determination (DSD), and in many cases, infertility is an additional problem. Several genetic alterations that cause DSDs have been identified, and work...
Finding by CHOP researchers points to disruptions in brain signaling networksA large genetic study of people with major depression has found that a duplicated region of DNA on chromosome 5 predisposes people to the disorder. The gene involved plays an important role in the development of nerve cells, adding to evidence that disruptions in neurotransmission networks form a biological basis for depression."The copy number variations we discovered were exclusive to people with depression,...
Accurate gene distribution during cell division depends on stable set-upScientists have discovered an amazingly simple way that cells stabilize their machinery for forcing apart chromosomes. Their findings are reported Nov. 25 in Nature.When a cell gets ready to split into new cells, this stable set-up permits its genetic material to be separated and distributed accurately. Otherwise, problem cells "“ like cancer cells"” arise.The human body contains more than a trillion cells, and every...
Research work carried out at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem arouses a cautionary warning in the growing field of the development of stem cells as a means for future treatment of patients through replacement of diseased or damaged tissues by using the patient's own stem cells. The research indicates a possible danger of cancerous tissue development in the use of such cells.Embryonic stem cells, which are undifferentiated cells, have the potential to develop into all cell types of the adult...
Physical defects in plants can be predicted based on chromosome imbalances, a finding that may shed light on how the addition or deletion of genes and the organization of the genome affects organisms, according to a study involving a Purdue University researcher.The findings identify easily measured characteristics that vary with imbalances of specific chromosomes, said Brian Dilkes, a Purdue assistant professor of horticulture. Understanding why and how those imbalances result in certain...
By Mick Kulikowski, North Carolina State UniversityIn a finding that upends decades of scientific theory on reptile reproduction, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that female boa constrictors can squeeze out babies without mating.More strikingly, the finding shows that the babies produced from this asexual reproduction have attributes previously believed to be impossible.Large litters of all-female babies produced by the "super mom" boa constrictor show...
