Aurora magazine

Zebrafish is a fish often quoted in studies of genetic diseases and human DNA. How can a tropical fish help to understand the functioning of the human body? Why is it used in research?

A female zebrafish produces about 200 eggs a week, making it one of the most prolific species. In addition, embryos develop in about 3 months, shortening some of the timing of the research. They are all elements that make fish an appetizing model, but what matters most is the resemblance to the human being.
The biological mechanisms of embryonic development of zebrafish are similar to human ones, at least in some respects. Being a much simpler human being, it is easy to induce mutations in his DNA and study its consequences. For this reason, zebrafish is the genetic model for excellence in disease and abnormalities. Analysis of how zebra fish genes interact has allowed to clarify many regulatory mechanisms of human DNA.

An example of the importance of zebrafish for research is the ZF-Models project, launched by the Planck Institute in Tubingen. In addition to Germany, the project involves research organizations in France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland. The aim is to create anatomical and genetic atlas of zebrafish, to be made available to the international scientific community.

Silicon technology is one of the most promising branches to develop cost effective prenatal screening tests. Its application goes beyond creating smaller computers and more powerful smartphones. The ability to collect data faster and better will in fact expand the computational power of many of the machines used today for DNA analysis.

For current technology to go further, you need to find a way to shrink blocks of chips again. Only at this point will it be possible to have large machines like the ones present but much more powerful. In the field of medical research and the provision of health services, this will mean easier and cheaper personal care.

Semiconductor studies are leading to new data analysis tools, smaller and faster. Today it is possible to have silicon components as large as cells or biomolecules. The next step will be bridges between chips and biology, which will lead to compact DNA sequencing machines and miniature diagnostic tests. Science fiction? Not for long.
Fetal DNA tests allow to analyze the presence of possible anomalies, which is the cause of future pathologies. Some companies are processing silicon photonic chips that can read multiple DNA molecules in parallel. These are accompanied by sensors made with semiconductors complementary to metallic oxide, which improve their quality. This increases the DNA analyzed every hour, with a collapse of the time spent, resources and costs. It is estimated that all this will lead to a 50% lower equipment cost, with machines that can generate up to seven times the current information.

Source: mddionline.com

Sardinia is a rare treasure for geneticists worldwide. These include the Institute of Biomedical and genetic research scientists of the National Research Council (CNR-IRGB), who sequenced the RNA of 600 Sardinians. On the island there are in fact rare genetic variants, which allow you to better understand how the human genome functional.

Professor Francesco Cucca and his team are authors of a study that lasted six years, which analyzed RNA and DNA of 600 Sardinian subjects. Thanks to statistical models, scientists have linked the DNA and RNA of nucleated blood cells. In this way they identified thousands of previously unknown genetic variants, that influence the risk of genetic diseases. The findings shed new light on understanding the human genome, with possible implications for the prevention of hereditary diseases.
Before starting with the middle phase of the study, the researchers had to choose which type of RNA sequence. They are so focused on what polyadenylated, very important in the production of proteins. The polyadenylated RNA also includes other important regulators RNA, allowing a large sequencing and accurately.

The dell'Irgb-Cnr study is neither the first nor the last Sardinian focused on genes. Sardinia The project has been running since 2001 and aims to study how genetic variables influencing parameters of biomedical relevance. Sardinia enjoys local partnerships, such as with CRS4, and international.

Source: healthdesk.it

Researchers at the University of Washington State have found a way to protect the sperm stem cells. Thanks to the discovery will preserve the fertility of young patients with cancer and forced to undergo invasive treatments. Both chemotherapy radiation therapy may in fact make it infertile, with psychological consequences in adulthood.

An adult and fertile man produces 1,300 sperm with each beat of the heart, resulting from sperm stem cells. These stem cells are present from birth, and each produces about 5,000 sperm. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as fundamental to eradicate certain types of cancer, often kill sperm stem cells. In the case of pre-pubertal children, therefore, they can cause future infertility.

Researchers have labeled a gene stem cell sperm in pre-pubertal mice, to study the differentiation. They found that in the early stages of the process the stem cells get energy from glycolysis. In the later stages they pass instead to the oxidative phosphorylation. This second method has the disadvantage of producing free radicals, reactive forms of oxygen harmful to the DNA cells.

To preserve the sperm stem cells throughout the individual's fertile life, we must preserve the genome. That's why it is important to promote glycolysis at the expense of oxidative phosphorylation. The team then lowered the oxygen levels of the stored cells. In this way, the stem cells are able to produce sperm after 6 months from the harvest increased from 5% to 40%.

The next step is to test whether stem cells in culture undergo epigenetic changes, which affect the ability to produce functional sperm. It should also check whether the technique also works on human tissue.

Source: wsu.edu