Taken from NY Times

6/29/00

Cloned Sheep With Modified Cells

The company that created Dolly, the cloned sheep, announced yesterday that it had cloned two lambs from genetically altered cells. The technique could be important in animal-to-human organ transplants.

The technique involves inserting a new piece of DNA in a specific place in the sheep's genome. The modified cells (carrying the new DNA) are then fused with sheep eggs from which the nucleus has been removed. The two new lambs are named Cupid and Diana.

The success of the procedure opens up possibilities to produce specific genetic changes in mammals. For example, researchers can knock out a molecule in cow's milk that causes allergies in many infants, - or other genes that cause animal disease. Another possibility is knocking out genes that cause rejection in humans after organ transplantation.

Taken from NY Times

6/26/00

A Rough Draft of Human Genome is Complete

A team of two groups of scientists have jointly announced today that they have a rough draft of the human genome sequence completed.

The two groups are Celera Corporation headed by Dr. J. Craig Venter, and the Human Genome Project which is largely funded by the National Institute of Health and headed by Dr. Francis Collins.

The genome consists of two sets of 23 chromosomes that contain a total of about 3 billion DNA subunits.

Scientists expect in time to develop many disease diagnostics and treatments based on the knowledge of the DNA sequence.

The project was hailed by both President Bill Clinton and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Today we are learning the language with which God created life," Mr. Clinton said.

To find out the basic method used in sequencing, go to our sequencing page.

Taken from BBC News

6/22/00

Genetically Modified Mosquitos that are Resistant to Malaria

A team of scientists in London- England, have developed a technique that may render the malaria mosquitos powerless in transmitting the disease.

The technique introduces a fragment of DNA into the mosquitos and makes it glow green under ultraviolet light. The glow has no use other than to show that introducing a gene into the mosquitos works.

Malaria is a serious, sometimes fatal disease. It is caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans through a mosquito, known as Anopheles. The mosquito bites its victim and the parasite travels to the liver through the blood and infects the red blood cells. The World Health Organization estimates that yearly 300-500 million cases of malaria occur and more than 1 million people die of malaria. There are about 1,200 cases of malaria that are diagnosed in the United States each year. The most prevalent cases of malaria are in the sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Taken from Yahoo- Science News

6/19/00

A Gene Associated With Learning

Scientists at Northwestern University have discovered a gene that may be responsible for learning abilities.

Genetically engineered mice that produced extra levels of the GAP-43 gene did better in mouse mazes used to test their intelligence than mice without the extra boost.

Dr. Routtenberg said that GAP-43 is found early in the development of all animals, and especially, in higher concentrations in one-day old mice. GAP-43 protein is similar in animals and humans.

The protein is not active unless it has phosphate group on it- a process known as phosphorylation- which is a key to activating many genes.

According to Routtenberg, salad oil, with its content of certain fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acid, might do the trick in phosphorylating the protein.

The discovery could be helpful in treating people with Alzheimer's disease, mental retardation, or people suffering from age-related memory loss. There is evidence that GAP-43 is produced at a lower level as people age.

Taken from SW-Florida News

6/17/00

Stop Drinking and Smoking

Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University found that 76 percent of patients who had lung cancer and who both smoked and drank had mutations in the p53 gene compared to 42 percent of patients who had lung cancer and smoked but did not drink. In addition, patients who both smoked and drank were five times more at risk for mutations than those who neither smoked or drank.

The scientists classified as drinkers if patients had one or more glasses of beer, hard liquor or wine daily during the previous 20 years.

So, the message here: don't drink and smoke too!

Taken from BBC News

6/14/00

A Gene Responsible For Panic Attacks

Scientists at Ohio State University have discovered that a variant of a serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) was involved in increased fear response.

5-HTT is responsible for regulating serotonin, a chemical that helps transmit messages in the brain. A lack of serotonin is linked to the development of psychological disorders.

Individuals who participated in the study had to undergo a test that produces symptoms of anxiety in some of them.

Participants with the "long" form of 5-HTT, reported feeling more anxious during the study.

According to Dr. Norman Schmidt, the lead researcher, multiple genes are involved in most types of psychological disorders.

Taken from The San Diego Union Tribune

6/7/00

Genetically Modified Fast-growing Crops

Scientists have accelerated a plant's growth by making its cells divide faster. The technique could eventually make heartier crops, shorter growing seasons and less use of herbicides (chemicals used to stop weeds from growing).

The study was published in the journal Nature by scientists at Cambridge University in England.

The researchers took a gene that is involved in cell division from a type of mustard plant, and transplanted it into a tobacco plant. The gene activated a large amount of protein that made the plant's cells divide faster.

This technique could be extended to other plants. Such plants might make easier and cheaper sources of certain medicines.

Taken from The New York Times

6/6/00

Genetically Modified Corn Safe To a Butterfly Species

Researchers at the University of Illiniois have shown that a strain of genetically modified corn that produces its own insecticide (known as Bt) does not harm swallowtail butterfly.

Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars, both in the wild and in the laboratory, was not harmed by eating leaves dusted with pollen from a strain of Bt corn, known as Mon 810. The Bt toxin is used to kill European corn borers, which cause damage to crops.

However, other butterflies and moths were not tested in this study, and could potentially be affected by the pollen from the modified corn.

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