It's a Dog's (Genetic) Life

sea-maid submitted, created time 6 months 2 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

The adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks may have some basis in truth, or at least in DNA. It turns out that a pointer's point, a border collie's herding instinct, and several other canine characteristics may be hard-wired in dogs' genes, according to a new study. The advance could help breeders weed out diseases in man's best friend and shed light on the genetic basis of certain human disorders.

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Genes that control height

Gene hunters uncover networks behind disease

jane2007 submitted, created time 9 months 3 weeks (www.nature.com)

Researchers have used a new technique to identify networks of genes linked to obesity in both mice and humans. The new approach looks at changes in expression of already-known genes, and finds networks of genes associated with disease, rather than single switches.

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New method of selecting DNA for resequencing accelerates discovery of subtle DNA variations

kitty submitted, created time 1 year 2 months (www.eurekalert.org)

A new technology developed by scientists at Emory University will allow researchers to more easily discover subtle and overlooked genetic variations that may have serious consequences for health and disease. Called Microarray-based Genomic Selection, the research protocol allows scientists to extract and enrich specific large-sized DNA regions, then compare genetic variation among individuals using DNA resequencing methods.

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Fever after smallpox vaccination tied to individual genetic variations

newsdigg submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.physorg.com)

St. Louis researchers have identified common DNA variations that underlie susceptibility to fever after smallpox vaccination. Their finding is the first to link individual differences written into the genetic code with a vaccine-related complication – albeit a mild one.

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Whole-genome scans yield disease clue

annatto submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.sciencenews.org)

"In a sweeping demonstration of the power of the new biology, researchers have linked two dozen genetic variations to six major diseases."

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