First comprehensive atlas of human gene activity released... International researchers have produced the first comprehensive, detailed map of the way genes work across the major cells and tissues of the human body. The findings describe the complex networks that govern gene activity, and the new information could play a crucial role in identifying the genes involved with disease. “Now, for the first time, we are able to pinpoint the regions of the genome that can be active in a disease and in normal activity, whether it’s in a brain cell, the skin, in blood stem cells or in hair follicles” What they did: human and mouse cells were studied using a new technology: Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE), to discover how 95% of all human genes are switched on and off. >>These “switches” — called “promoters” and “enhancers” — are the regions of DNA that manage gene activity. The researchers mapped the activity of 180,000 promoters and 44,000 enhancers across a wide range of human cell types and tissues and, in most cases, found they were linked with specific cell types. kurzweilai.net/first-comprehensive-atlas-of-human-gene-activity-released
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 17:20:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015