Genetic Testing = TMI?

Like much new scientific technology, human genetic testing offers many advantages but also presents  problems. Genetic testing can now detect over 2,500 medical conditions, but only about 500 of these are treatable. So do you really want to know about the likelihood of this happening to you or your family? William Reville presents the pros and cons in today's IT article.

Telomerase Database

This is a resource especially for researchers who are interested in investigating the structure, function, evolution and medical relevance of the telomerase enzyme. It provides comprehensive information about sequences of the RNA and protein subunits of telomerase, sequence alignments based on the phylogenetic relationship and structure, secondary structures of the RNA component and tertiary structures of various subunits of telomerase, mutations of telomerase components found in human patients, and current telomerase researchers. The information is organised hierarchically by the components. http://telomerase.asu.edu/&handle=20081210-15595484

Finding a gene on a chromosome map

This is an online introductory tutorial on finding the approximate location of a gene on a chromosome map using NCBI Map Viewer, a Web resource used to view and search an organism's complete genome and is aimed at undergraduate studnents. The tutorial covers accessing a chromosome map and modifying the display options. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/map.shtml&handle=20081112-15395526

First complete cancer genome sequenced

Scientists have deciphered each of the 3 billion DNA bases from the genome of an acute myeloid leukemia tumor.

For the first time, a complete cancer (female) genome has been decoded. In a study made possible by faster, cheaper and more sensitive methods for sequencing DNA, the researchers pinpoint eight new genes that may cause a cell to turn cancerous. This new sequencing technology, called massively parallel sequencing, makes it possible to compare the normal DNA sequence to the cancerous DNA sequence in the same patient. That, in turn, allows researchers to find individual DNA bases — the needles in a haystack of 3 billion pieces of straw — that had mutated in the cancerous cells.

Laura Saunder's article with links to other citations is at: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/38320/title/First_complete_cancer_genome_sequenced

From genes to genomes

A new edition of 'From Genes to Genomes' is now available in the library.

Four copies are shelved at shelf number 572.8.

From genes to genomes : concepts and applications of DNA technology

Jeremy W. Dale and Malcolm von Schantz.
2nd edition

Wiley 2007.