Trends Genet
-
Based on a broad public database compilation, we support the hypothesis that germinal polymorphisms may regulate the expression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cellular target itself and proteases controlling the process of its shedding or, conversely, its internalization. Consequently, a genetic influence on individual susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is strongly suspected.
-
Within the ivory tower of academia, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic stands to disproportionately impact the invisible workforce of postdoctoral researchers (postdocs). Faced with university closures, hiring freezes, and a general lack of support and benefits, an entire generation of postdocs and their knowledge and skills may be lost to academia without intervention.
-
Disorders in hemoglobin (hemoglobinopathies) were the first monogenic diseases to be characterized and remain among the most common and best understood genetic conditions. Moreover, the study of the β-globin locus provides a textbook example of developmental gene regulation. ⋯ Since then, research has focused on therapeutically reactivating the fetal γ-globin genes. Here, we summarize recent discoveries, focusing on the influence of genome editing technologies, including CRISPR-Cas9, and emerging gene therapy approaches.
-
A new study sequenced and assembled two rodent genomes to better understand the evolutionary forces shaping mammalian genomes. Their results suggest multiple roles for genomic repeats.
-
The central nervous system (CNS) is a complex biological system composed of numerous cell types working in concert. The intricate development and functioning of this highly ordered structure depends upon exquisite spatial and temporal control of gene expression in the cells comprising the CNS. Thus, gene regulatory networks that control cell fates and functions play critical roles in the CNS. ⋯ Interestingly, many lncRNAs are highly expressed in the adult and developing brain, often showing precise temporal and spatial patterns of expression. This specificity of expression and growing awareness of the importance of lncRNAs suggest that they play key roles in CNS development and function. In this review, we highlight the growing evidence for the importance of lncRNAs in the CNS and the indications that their dysregulation underlies some neurological disorders.