1000 genomes project

Scientists will map the 1% of the genetic material that varies between people,this 1% often explains the differences in people's health.
The project will cost about $50million(£26million) and about 3 years to complete,will be freely avaible allowing researchers to pinpoint genes responible for genetic disorders quickly and match treatments to patients.
Researchers will study 1,000 genes of 1,000 people.

syphilis's genetic origins

Syphilis diverged from yaws about AD1100.
syphilis seem to show similiaries to yaws samples from indigenious communities in Guyana with 4 genome locaties similiar to syphilis.
Children in Guyana with yaws had chancres more similiar to syphilis than yaws.

It appears that sailors with christopher columbus took syphilis wih them to europe.

Aztec Mexico appears to have had syphilis.

Soay sheep evolving

Horned soay sheep arirved in the ST Kilda archipelago about 2000 BC.
Mostly black or brown, some have light sandy colour.
Recently the number of dark soay sheep has dropped.
The sandy coloured sheep have genes for hardiness and reproductive success.

Genes implicated in leukaemia.

Two genes called MEL and AML if fused together inside blood stem cells in bone marrow can cause leukaemia.

When scientists injected such abnormal blood cells into mice, they developed leukaemia-like symptoms.

Molecule called sumo, if attacked by an enzyme called RNF4 is destroyed.

In cases of Acute Lymphobatic Leukaemia, a gene called IKZF1 is deleted in almost 90% of cases,and a gene called CDKNZA is deleted in about 50% of cases.

Genes involved with breast cancer.

MicroRNA sequences mir-122a, mir-199, mir-206 and mir-489.

The expression of these genes are lost in the majority of breast cancer patients that relapse.

Mir-10b over expression is associated with breast cancer tumours.

A master gene called SATB1 makes breast cancer more aggressive,disabling this gene may stop breast cancer cells growing.

Involved in one type of breast cancer, TGFSS switches on a molecule called ANGPTL4.

HER2(human epidermal factor receptor 2) also known as ERBB2 is associated with breast cancer.

Higher than normal levels of IGF-1(Insulinlike growth factor) in the blood has associated with higher risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancer patients survived longer, with the protein Brd4, so research suggest.

ESR1 gene appears to be amplificed in some tests,but not others.

NQO1*2, rs1800566(t) is associated with low survival rate.

AGTR1,AKT1,PIK3CA,PTEN and TP53 genes are also associated with breast cancer.

BRCA1 and BRCA2  genes are also associated with breast cancer

Beetle DNA

Beetles were around in the Jurassic period when dinosaurs were around, so a DNA study suggests.
DNA sequences were compared from almost 2,000 beetles species.

There are around 350,000 known species of beetles.