Genome duplication

Research suggests that a genome duplication (that is, a complete new copy of the entire compliment of DNA) may represent the difference between primate species. In this case, the data suggest that a duplication event in an ancestral species to all primates gave rise to the various primate species we see today including chimps, gorillas, and humans. You can read more about this study here.

Stem Cells explained

Stem cells continue to be a hot topic. Widely misunderstood and often controversial, there are actually four kinds of stem cells. Thanks to Twitter, I found a superb explanation for the four types. Read Maria's excellent post on the topic here.

Common cold genome mapped

Researchers have mapped all known strains of the virus that causes the common cold. Despite the usually benign, but annoying, nature of the disease, for some people are respiratory illness of any sort can prove deadly. By mapping the genome of the virus, it's hoped that a quick cure can be found, making the excuse "I have a cold" obsolete. Read the story here.

Name that mutation!

Stranded at second. Cheap date. Out cold. Sound like movie titles? Nope, they're mutations found in fruit flies. Who says scientists don't have a sense of humor? You can hear the whole story of how mutations are named by checking out this story on NPR.

If you enjoy this recording, you might enjoy more from Robert Krulwich on RadioLab.

Not enough fish in the sea?

Salmon are amazing creatures. Born in fresh water streams, they migrate out to sea to grow to adulthood, then return to their birthplaces to spawn and die. But with dams, fishing, habitat destruction and more, salmon populations have taken a big hit--and may be in danger of extinction. Armed with modern genetics, researchers have been able to figure out exactly which stream an individual fish comes from. Now, this information is being applied to when, and if, salmon can be harvested from the sea. Read the whole article here.

Extinct mammal lives once more

Ever since the first successful experiment in cloning was conducted, the idea that extinct organisms could be "resurrected" has been a very popular notion. Notion, no longer. A once extinct Ibex species has been cloned from frozen, preserved tissue. Read the entire story here.

Fitting in is in your genes

Social awkwardness is part of growing up but new research shows that how you behave socially may be in your genes.

"Think about it this way: Some people are the life of the party, naturally drawing attention and crowds. Others tend to float on the periphery – social wallflowers, if you will. To a significant, measurable degree, the study finds, genetics put them in their places."

You can read the entire article here.

Newly discovered mutation plays role in heart disease

A mutation that is common among people of Southeast Asia may make them more prone to heart disease. Read the full article here.

Up to 60 million South Asians – or one percent of the world's population -- are destined to suffer heart disease because of a single genetic mutation, according to a scientific study published today.

By the way, the "are destined" part is an overstatement. Genes are not destiny. A more accurate statement is, "are at greater risk." If genetics were completely determinate, then a healthy lifestyle would have no effect.

DNA testing of ancient manuscripts

A fascinating DNA mystery story: researchers are testing centuries old illuminated manuscripts to determine where and when they were produced. Read the story here.

Who's your daddy?

As genetic testing gets more and more common place, people may find that they're not who they think they were. In this article recently published in the LA Times, you can learn about the Kincaid project.

In one case, two brothers were surprised to discover they had different fathers. They confronted their elderly mother, who denied the most obvious possibilities -- that she had been unfaithful to her husband, the man they had always known as Dad, or that one son was adopted.

"It has been traumatic for some to discover their true lineage through the DNA tests," said Don Kincaid, a 76-year-old Texan who oversees the Kincaid surname project and witnessed the brothers' ordeal.

Read the article here.

Cloning horses may reveal insights into complex genetics

There are lots of beliefs about genetics. One of the very persistent notions is that when an individual is cloned, the clone is an exact phenotypic copy of the original. That is, the clone and original will be exactly the same in every way: ability, talents, preferences, athletic ability, and so on. However, inheritance and gene expression are much more complicated than that. Now, a new "experiment" may shed light on how things like epigenetics, environment, and quantitiative traits (like athletic performance) work. Check out this article on what a cloned racehorse is teaching us.

Turning Genes On

Scientists have discovered a new way to turn genes on that may pave the way for gene therapies.

"There's a new technique for targeting gene therapy to specific tissues: sound waves that turn on gene expression, according to an article published online in PNAS"

Check it out in a blog post on The Scientist published here.

Rainforests are storehouses of genetic diversity