The Human Dynasty

University of Leeds spin-out Xeros has formed a partnership with US dry cleaning technology group GreenEarth in a deal which heralds the next stage in the company’s evolution.

A study of giant kangaroo fossils adds weight to the theory that hunters caused the extinction of Australia’s “megafauna”.

Scientists, having surveyed the genomes of 12,000 individuals to find a genetic cause for gout, have now have shown that the malfunctioning gene they uncovered can lead to high concentrations of blood urate that forms crystals in joint tissue, causing inflammation and pain — the hallmark of this disease.

The US state has approved payments for women who donate eggs for stem cell research – but some fear a backlash from the US public

Scientists have discovered that there appears to be a single spelling mistake in the genetic code of granulosa cell tumors, a rare and often untreatable form of ovarian cancer. The discovery marks the beginning of a new era of cancer genomics.

Medical scientists are investigating how a species of fish from the Pacific Ocean could help provide answers to tackling chronic conditions such as hereditary high blood pressure and kidney disease. They are examining whether the Goby fish can help researchers locate genes linked to high blood pressure. This is because a protein called Urotensin II, first identified in the fish, is important for regulating blood pressure in all vertebrates- from fish to humans.

Scientists have successfully introduced genes coding for a variant of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, into fruit flies. CMT is one of the most common hereditary disorders of the peripheral nervous system. The research shows that the flies recapitulate several symptoms of the human disease.

(Journal of Clinical Investigation) Researchers have identified a protein that helps protect immature mouse sperm from oxidative stress. When male mice over one year old lacking this protein were mated with normal female mice, an increased incidence of miscarriages and fetal developmental defects were observed. These data have clinical relevance, as age-related DNA damage to human sperm is associated with decreased fertility and increased rates of miscarriage and childhood disease.

(VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)) VIB scientists have successfully introduced genes coding for a variant of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, into fruit flies. CMT is one of the most common hereditary disorders of the peripheral nervous system. VIB research — directed by Albena Jordanova, Patrick Callaerts and Vincent Timmerman — shows that the flies recapitulate several symptoms of the human disease.

(Carnegie Institution) A tiny plant with a long name helps researchers design new crops to help meet increasing demands for food, biofuels, industrial materials and new medicines. The genes, proteins, and other traits of this plant reside in the Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR) database. TAIR just released a new version of the genome sequence, which includes an array of improvements and novel features that promise to accelerate this critical research.