"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
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Taken
from Fox News 8/31/00 Scientists Use Genetic Engineering to Produce Decaffeinated Coffee Researchers from Scotland and Japan have discovered and cloned a gene responsible for coffee and tea plants making caffeine. Genetically modified tea and coffee with the cloned gene inserted in them will not be able to produce caffeine. The products will be naturally decaffeinated. Current methods of decaffeination processes use organic solvents that take out most of the caffeine and some of the aroma and flavor. Taken from San Diego
Union Tribune 8/29/00 Scientists Use Gene Therapy to Revive Heart Tissue Gene therapy may help patients grow their own heart bypass as well as, revive heart tissue that is damaged. The gene therapy made heart patients feel better and showed increase blood flow to the heart. Taken from Chicago
Tribune 8/16/00 Scientists Get Cells To Change Their Identities Scientists have converted human blood cells into brain cells using "stem cells" (cells that are 'blank' or not specific to any tissue or organ). Dr. Ira Black of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey reported transforming human blood stem cells into neurons that formed extensions and connections to other brain cells. Scientists are hopeful that these stem cells will be useful for almost any disorder that destroys neurons, from stroke to brain trauma to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease to spinal cord injury. Taken from Fox News 8/10/00 Genius Genes May be Discovered Soon Scientists at the National Institute of Health analyzed the DNA of 200 children with high intelligence and compared them to the DNA of children with average intelligence. They found common variations in the main genetic regions of the DNA taken from the bright kids that were not there in the average group. These variations mean that there is a predisposition of the child for higher intelligence. Once the genes are identified, researchers could develop testing in newborns, and later, develop gene therapy to change their genetic make-up so that the child may ensure that he or she play an equal role in society as the brighter kid. However, this research may raise many ethical questions in the future. Taken from Fox News 8/10/00 A New Protein that Helps Switch Fat Cells On and Off Researchers have identified a gene that acts as a signal for cells to stop from becoming fat cells. When the gene is "off" or in low levels, the cells become fat cells, but when it is "on"- it stops the cells from becoming fat cells. The protein is called Wnt-10b; and the study was reported in the journal Science. The study will help scientists understand how obesity develops. During development, Wnt signaling tells the cells whether it will become a fat cell or a muscle cell. If the gene is switched the wrong way- such as being repressed- muscle precursor cells, known as myoblasts, turn into fat cells. The researchers are planning to make a "knock-out" mouse lacking the Wnt-10b gene to see if it would beome flabby. Taken from BBC News 8/3/00 A DNA Vaccine Could Help Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) A technique known as "naked DNA" vaccination have been successfully tested on animals. Both MS and RA are caused by the body's own immune system attacking its own tissues in a similar way as attacking a foreign object. The immune reaction causes inflammation by over-producing chemicals known as cytokines. The vaccine is made of engineered genes which appear like the cytokines and making them appear as the foreign invaders. This can, then, stop the inflammation that causes damages to tissues (the sheath protecting the nerves in the case of MS, and the joints in the case of RA). Taken from BBC News 8/3/00 Malignant Melanoma Genes Pinpointed Scientists have discovered a way to identify which patients who have skin cancer will progress to a more serious disease. They have found genetic differences between different types of malignant melanoma tumor. This could lead to a better diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. The study uses a method known as gene expression to analyze the genetic make-up of skin cancer. Malignancies of the skin are the most common cancers, melanoma being the worst. Taken from NY Times 8/3/00 Cholera Genome is Decoded The genome of the bacterium that causes cholera has been decoded. Cholera is a diseases that causes severe diahrrea and dehydration. The bacterium has 4,033,460 units of DNA, arranged in two circular chromosomes. The breakthrough will allow scientists understand how the bacterium works and eventually design new therapies to fight it. ____________________________________________________
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