Category Archives: Epigenetics

Memories, nature, and instincts are some of the few things that make us. Where do these come from? From us, parents, grandparents, and so on. In Assassins Creed games, you visit your ancestors memories with the help of a machine named Animus. With this fascinating concept in mind, it makes us wonder how close or far are we from this science-fiction.

Do we have ancestral memories? Do memories pass along? Is there technology to process these memories? Lets see.

As far asAssassins Creedgoes, memories of ancestors are passed down from their bloodline. So, Desmond (present-day hero) can relive Altairs (1000 AD Assassin) memories because of this. Similarly, you could relive memories of ancestors in your bloodline, for instance. Youd simply lay down on the Animus and let it play memories like a VR game.

In our world, memories are said to be stored in our brains exclusively. It is accurate but there is still more to it. You see, since time immemorial scientists have suggested that ancestors pass down traits, impulses, etc. as part of evolution. These traits stemming from certain memories. Also, this applies to animals as well. Darwin, for instance, had the theory of pangenesis. Basically, it entailed that a body emits tiny particles called gemmules which pass on to offsprings. This theory was similar to Lamarckism. Both theories were dismissed in those days.

However, more recent experiments led to a new field of study called epigenetics which makes the earlier theories credible. In simple terms, epigenetics means the working of DNA instead of DNA itself. Consider meta-data. If you have songs, thats DNA. Adding shuffle, repeats, skips, playlists, etc to it is epigenetics.

Carl Jung, a famous psychologist, invented a theory named collective unconscious. It suggests that certain aspects such as fears, instincts, memories, etc. encompass all of our species. Also, it says that we inherit certain traits in our genes. Freud believed this to be due to personal experiences. That said, Jungl believed humans could tap into this unconscious only when necessary. The word Animus, also means memory.

Here, epigenetics prove helpful. Research has found genetically mutated roundworms to live 30% more than expected. Furthermore, the offsprings of those worms had a greater life-span as well. We already know our DNA indicates life-span. Epigenetics goes ahead and makes the changes by on and off switches in our genes. Genes are nothing but instructions in DNA. Through epigenetic methods, research shows potential ways of determining if a young bee (or larva) will become a queen bee. Roundworms and bees are more direct examples of epigenetics. The Aplysia experiment too.

Environmental and external factors also take part in epigenetics. Descendants of slaves, refugees, war prisoners, calamity survivors, etc. are a few types of people said to have altered genes. The Dutch Famine is an example. The people who went through the famine had smaller than average children. Also, they had a higher risk of diabetes and other health issues. The same was seen for later generations.

Desmond, inAssassins Creed,learns his ancestors traits and abilities. Considering the above two paragraphs, maybe thats how Ubisoft got the idea. InAssassins Creed, it is called bleeding effect.

Epigenetics might show us that memories, traits, and such do reside in our genes or DNA. However, it wouldnt mean much if there was no technology to bring those memories in front of us.

Various scientific bodies, including Microsoft, have looked into the idea of DNA-based storage devices. In recent years, teams have automated the read-and-write process of data onto DNA. How does it work? In simple terms, genetic bases are represented by chemical letters A, C, G, and T. Now, these letters can be converted to binary, 1s and 0s. Computers deal with binaries and not the letters.

DNA-based data storage has a better density (grams of DNA capable of holding thousands of GB), can last millennia, and can be replicated easily. Although, this is expensive and slow. So, right now companies are making efforts to speed up this process and make it accessible to many people. For instance, Microsofts Purple Drop project.

Intel, Catalog, etc are also finding ways of making DNA-based storage the mainstream storage of tomorrow. In other words, you might one day store your life memories into a pen-drive for your children to see. An advanced version of a photo album, you could say.

Till then, well just wait forAssassins Creed: Valhalla!

Here at FictionTalk, we look into the science that goes behind interesting stories all around us! If you want more, visit our take on Science Behind Time Perception Drugs and Science Behind Frankenstein.

Go here to see the original:
The Science Behind Reliving Memories: Animus from Assassins Creed - Fiction Talk

An utter way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today which has been followed while preparing this Epigenetics-Based Instruments market report and chewing over several fragments of the present and upcoming market scenario. The Epigenetics-Based Instruments market report encompasses company profiling of key players in the market, carefully analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. It is always important to have valuable and actionable market insights for creating sustainable and profitable business strategies. This Epigenetics-Based Instruments market report endows with the plentiful insights and business solutions that will help to stay ahead of the competition.

Get Sample Copy Of This Report @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-epigenetics-based-instruments-market

Few of the major competitors currently working in the global epigenetics-based instruments market arePacific Biosciences of California, Inc.; 10x Genomics; Illumina, Inc.; Merck KGaA; QIAGEN; Eisai Co., Ltd.; Novartis AG; Diagenode s.a.; Zymo Research; Active Motif, Inc.; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; Agilent Technologies, Inc.; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.; Bio-Techne among others.

Key Developments in the Market:

Market Drivers

Market Restraints

Inquiry For Customize Report With Discount at :https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-epigenetics-based-instruments-market

Segmentation: Global Epigenetics-Based Instruments Market

By Product

By Technology

By Application

By End-Users

ByGeography

Get Full Table Of content @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-epigenetics-based-instruments-market

About Us:

Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge Market Research provides appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. GetCustomizationandDiscounton Report by emailing[emailprotected]. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.

Contact:

Data Bridge Market ResearchUS: +1 888 387 2818UK: +44 208 089 1725Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475Email: [emailprotected]

Read more:
Global Epigenetics-Based Instruments Market To Witness Robust Expansion Throughout the Forecast Period 2019-2026|Pacific Biosciences of California,...

Diagenode

Global Epigenetics Market Segmentation

This market was divided into types, applications and regions. The growth of each segment provides an accurate calculation and forecast of sales by type and application in terms of volume and value for the period between 2020 and 2026. This analysis can help you develop your business by targeting niche markets. Market share data are available at global and regional levels. The regions covered by the report are North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa and Latin America. Research analysts understand the competitive forces and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

To get Incredible Discounts on this Premium Report, Click Here @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=212734&utm_source=LHN&utm_medium=888

Epigenetics Market Region Coverage (Regional Production, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)

Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)

South America (Brazil, Argentina etc.)

Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)

Some Notable Report Offerings:

-> We will give you an assessment of the extent to which the market acquire commercial characteristics along with examples or instances of information that helps your assessment.

-> We will also support to identify standard/customary terms and conditions such as discounts, warranties, inspection, buyer financing, and acceptance for the Epigenetics industry.

-> We will further help you in finding any price ranges, pricing issues, and determination of price fluctuation of products in Epigenetics industry.

-> Furthermore, we will help you to identify any crucial trends to predict Epigenetics market growth rate up to 2026.

-> Lastly, the analyzed report will predict the general tendency for supply and demand in the Epigenetics market.

Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert@ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/need-customization/?rid=212734&utm_source=LHN&utm_medium=888

Table of Contents:

Study Coverage: It includes study objectives, years considered for the research study, growth rate and Epigenetics market size of type and application segments, key manufacturers covered, product scope, and highlights of segmental analysis.

Executive Summary: In this section, the report focuses on analysis of macroscopic indicators, market issues, drivers, and trends, competitive landscape, CAGR of the global Epigenetics market, and global production. Under the global production chapter, the authors of the report have included market pricing and trends, global capacity, global production, and global revenue forecasts.

Epigenetics Market Size by Manufacturer: Here, the report concentrates on revenue and production shares of manufacturers for all the years of the forecast period. It also focuses on price by manufacturer and expansion plans and mergers and acquisitions of companies.

Production by Region: It shows how the revenue and production in the global market are distributed among different regions. Each regional market is extensively studied here on the basis of import and export, key players, revenue, and production.

About Us:

Market Research Intellect provides syndicated and customized research reports to clients from various industries and organizations with the aim of delivering functional expertise. We provide reports for all industries including Energy, Technology, Manufacturing and Construction, Chemicals and Materials, Food and Beverage and more. These reports deliver an in-depth study of the market with industry analysis, market value for regions and countries and trends that are pertinent to the industry.

Contact Us:

Mr. Steven Fernandes

Market Research Intellect

New Jersey ( USA )

Tel: +1-650-781-4080

Tags: Epigenetics Market Size, Epigenetics Market Growth, Epigenetics Market Forecast, Epigenetics Market Analysis

Our Trending Reports

Wireless Gamepad Market Size, Growth Analysis, Opportunities, Business Outlook and Forecast to 2026

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Devices Market Size, Growth Analysis, Opportunities, Business Outlook and Forecast to 2026

Read the original post:
Epigenetics Market Overview, Top Companies, Region, Application and Global Forecast by 2026 - Latest Herald

IPSWICH, Mass., April 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New England Biolabs (NEB)today announced a transition to a 100% recyclable alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS) for shipment of most of its products. The new packaging was developed by TemperPack, a U.S. company that focuses on providing sustainable solutions for cold chain shipping. While fully recyclable, this new packaging maintains the proper shipping temperature conditions for its products.

Cold chain shipping has always been a challenge from an environmental standpoint. Enzymes and reagents often require shipment on ice or dry ice, and maintaining shipping temperature is critical, particularly when shipping long distances or to warmer climates. EPS has historically been the "gold standard" for cold shipping, as it is light, durable, and well-known for its insulative properties. Unfortunately, EPS is difficult to recycle, and often makes its way to landfills.

To address this, NEB's new shipping box will use the ClimaCell insert, which is paper-based and can maintain the required temperature conditions for the duration of a product's delivery time. The entire box is recyclable, with other corrugated cardboard, after unpacking.

"NEB has always placed environmental stewardship as one of our highest priorities," said Jim Ellard, CEO of NEB. "We are continuously working to promote ecologically sound practices and environmental sustainability, to protect our natural resources both locally and globally. It is our goal to continuously improve our business processes to minimize our impact on the environment. Transitioning to a 100% recyclable solution for shipping our products represents an important step in achieving this goal."

"We are excited to partner with NEB in its efforts to implement a more sustainable solution for its shipping process," said James McGoff, founder of TemperPack. "Not only are they helping to eliminate EPS from landfills, but the transition to the ClimaCell shipper represents a 25% reduction in carbon emissions."

NEB's ClimaCell cooler will begin to replace EPS shipments in the U.S. in late April / early May 2020. For a minority of NEB products that still rely on EPS, specifically those that require shipment on dry ice, NEB will maintain its shipping box recycling program, which allows customers to use a free return label to send their EPS shipping box back to NEB for re-use.

To learn more about NEB's ClimaCell cooler, visit http://www.neb.com/ShippingBox

About New England BiolabsNew England Biolabs, Inc. is the industry leader in the discovery and production of enzymes for molecular biology applications and now offers the largest selection of recombinant and native enzymes for genomic research. NEB continues to expand its product offerings into areas related to PCR, gene expression, library preparation for next generation sequencing, cellular analysis, epigenetics and RNA analysis. Additionally, NEB is focused on strengthening alliances that enable new technologies to reach key market sectors. New England Biolabs is a privately held company, headquartered in Ipswich, MA, and has extensive worldwide distribution through a network of exclusive distributors, agents and eight subsidiaries located in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. For more information about New England Biolabs visit http://www.neb.com.

About TemperPackTemperPack makes packaging that works for businesses, people, and the planet. The company was borne out of a desire to reduce the amount of unsustainable packaging caused by the rise of e-commerce and perishable delivery. Incorporating environmental responsibility into product design, the company specializes in bringing the highest quality packaging solutions to scale. Operating an ISTA certified ThermalTransport Lab and state-of-the-art production facilities in Richmond, VA and Las Vegas, NV, the company is rapidly expanding its reach in the perishable food and life sciences industries. Our mission is simple: protect products with packaging that protects the planet. To learn more, visit http://www.temperpack.com.

NEW ENGLAND BIOLABS and NEB are registered trademarks of New England Biolabs, Inc.CLIMACELL and TEMPERPACK are registered trademarks of TemperPack Technologies, Inc.

See original here:
New England Biolabs Introduces 100% Recyclable Packaging for Cold Chain Shipping in Partnership with TemperPack - Tewksbury town crier

AncestryDNA, 23 and Me, National Geographic Geno 2.0..today so many of us turn to genetic testing to nd out more about ourselves. While some of us search our genetic code to discover where our ancestors began; others are turning to genetic testing to reveal health concerns which may lay hidden in the spirals and twists of our DNA. Problems can arise then when we mistake our new-found information about what is written in our genes with how our health will be in the future.

Recent studies reveal that a better predictor of future health lies in our epigenes.

EPIGENETICS: the study ofthe process by which genetic information istranslated into thesubstance andbehavior of an organism: specically, the study of the way in which the expression ofheritable traits is modied by environmental inuences or other mechanisms without a change to the DNA sequence.

Simply put, our environment aects the expression of our genes. To illustrate this, lets imagine The Book of You.

Your prologue contains snippets of your parents, their well being, and the quality of combined DNA which they passed to you via egg and sperm. It contains the struggles they encountered, the foods they ate, and the adaptations of their genetic material as they coped with their environments over millennia.

All of this pre-work isnt YOU yet. It is back ground information which has been collected from your families DNA library. The rst page in The Book of You begins at conception.

CONCEIVE: 1) to become pregnant 2) to form in themind; to imagine.

The dualistic nature of conception as both a physical event and a metaphysical event, represents the magic that begins The Book of You. We are both body and spirit by design. Our physical conception in the womb underlies the divine conception of our soul when we were thought onby Creation itself. We operate in a body that eats, sleeps, works, plays, and reproduces in a physical realm; while at the same time we laugh, cry, hope, believe, and dream in a spirit that exists in a metaphysical realm.

Our health at birth appears as a reection of our environment during time spent in the womb. As a tiny sentient being, you responded to your mothers voice, and dwelt in the mystical darkness beneath her heart. You heard the rhythmical beat of her heart sending oxygenated blood to her body; and oated in the hammock of her body as she moved throughout her day. Maybe you heard her singing and felt her laughter. Her body gave you your rst nourishment, delivered through the placenta. Your wellbeing was entirely dependent on the wellbeing of your mother, and life was good.

Or not. Maybe your mother suered from stress or depression. Perhaps she lived in poverty, and was physically abused. Cloaked in her body, you felt her body tighten around you. You heard her cry and scream. You felt her stumble and fall. Maybe your mother retreated to drugs or alcohol. Your tiny body became accustomed to the rush of chemicals as they washed through your system. Here lies the story of epigenetic expression, and how it can shape our very beginning.

The magical truth about epigenetic expression is that it can be changed. For the sake of simplicity, your epigenes are electrons, that act like tiny protein switches that can turn on or turn o the expression of your DNA. These protein switches are only visible on a quantum level when you look at them, then they disappear as you look away because they are made of energy.The energy to form our epigenes is generated from food, nutrients, and thought.

This is how our environment aects our epigenetic expression: if we are in an environment, rich with organic foods, healthy relationships, and pleasant surroundings, we produce healthy epigenes that switch our DNA to health. However, if we are eating heavily processed foods, living with abusive relationships, immersed in stressful surroundings, we produce unhealthy epigenes that switch our DNA to disease.

Two of the fastest ways to start repairing our DNA and to switch our genes to health is through liposomal bovine colostrum and mind/body practices.

Because liposomal colostrum is the rst food of life for all mammals, it is the most perfect food to rebuild healthy genetic expression. It gives us all the necessary building blocks needed to form our internal environment. Liposomal colostrum is bio-identical to human colostrum, and enables us to utilize colostrum therapeutically. Two very important components of liposomal colostrum are immune factors and growth factors.

Immune factors in liposomal colostrum include lactoferrin, proline-rich peptides, leukocytes, cytokines, oligo polysaccharides and immunoglobulins. These target harmful bacteria and viruses. While harmful bacteria and viruses create a stressful environment in our microbiome, liposomal colostrum replaces the harmful bacteria with healthy bacteria, changing our internal environment to one of health.

As we are constantly regenerating cells, the growth factors in colostrum encourage healthy expression of epithelial cells, broblasts, hormones, and platelets.

Our power of thought may be the most over looked tool in determining healthy gene expression. Thoughts and emotions create proteins in our epigenetic electrons, and happy, positive thoughts create healthy epigenes. Throughout millennia, it has been observed that when we think we are receiving a medicine, we often get better. Its called the placebo eect, and has been documented throughout medical literature.

So as we re-write our Book of You, from a story that may hold health concerns in the DNA of our prologue, it is important to remember that we control the pen while writing the story of our health. Choosing healthy, organic foods, and forming healthy relationships; by thinking happy, positive thoughts, we are shaping our environments. And in shaping our environments, we are shaping our genetic destinies.

Read this article:
The Book of You: Creating a Story of Health Through Epigenetics - Thrive Global

Drawing on Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and the field of Epigenetics.

LENOX, Mass., April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marc Aronoff, MA, LMHC, is delighted to announce the opening of his new Energy Healing practice, Divine-Source Healing Services, offering individual and group sessions via tele-health conference. (www.divine-sourcehealing.com). Combining traditional therapeutic modalities of Insight and Talk-therapy with ancient wisdom, a Divine-Source Healing session is a unique opportunity for stress reduction and a renewed sense of Self-confidence during difficult times.

Derived from over 30-years' experience working with individuals, groups, and Fortune 500 corporations as a Wellness Consultant, Divine-Source Healing offers tangible tools for coping more effectively with personal stress and anxiety, offering a gateway to experience deep states of relaxation and peace. This is accomplished through dialogue, inquiry, awareness, and remote healing, strengthening one's innate resources for coping in fresh new ways.

"After a divine-source healing session, I feel more relaxed in my mind and body and the feeling seems to stay as I go about my day."

Not a system of religious or dogmatic beliefs, Divine-Source Healing draws on tenets of Quantum physics and the revolutionary field of Epigenetics; which may be seen here as the genetics of our lineage. Science has shown that our state of mind and relationship to stress, in particular fear, has a profound effect on well-being and the immune system. Science also demonstrates our DNA is a "frequency generator" which is changeable: we may align with a frequency of health and healing or potentially dis-ease. The question is, in times like this, how do we care for our mental and psychic health, while isolated and faced with uncertainty. COVID-19, while demanding us to make safe choices, also offers an inner journey.

Clients often come with a range of issues from emotional distress, anxiety, and worry, to physical pain. While not a substitute for traditional medicine where needed, a Divine-Source Healing offers the chance to cultivate harmony in one's life, offering the solace of experiencing what you can do for yourself. Each 30 60-minute session is custom tailored. While these are stressful times, humans are wired for transformation. How we see and experience the world will determine our well-being. The premise is simple: We have an influence over our biology.

Contact http://www.divine-sourcehealing.com for a free consultation.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/licensed-therapist-offers-innovative-stress-reduction-for-reducing-anxiety-and-fear-around-covid-19-301041839.html

SOURCE Marc Aronoff

Read this article:
Licensed Therapist offers Innovative Stress Reduction for Reducing Anxiety and Fear around COVID-19 - Yahoo Finance

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Viviane Labrie, PhDDr. Labrie is an associate professor in Van Andel Institutes Center for Neurodegenerative Science, where she studies Parkinsons, Alzheimers and other neurological diseases.

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: One of the most puzzling and persistent mysteries in neuroscience has been why some people are right-brained while others are left-brained. The two sides of the brain have different jobs. The left side is analytic and problem-solving, while the right side manages creativity and artistic talents. But despite their differences, the two sides are composed of the same cell types essentially, brain neurons and their support cells. In this study, we sought to understand how it is possible for these cells to behave completely differently depending on what hemisphere theyre located in.

We also wanted to examine the reasons behind asymmetry in Parkinsons disease; that is, why Parkinsons symptoms typically start on one side of the body before the other. This asymmetry in neurodegeneration and symptoms in patients is one of the biggest unsolved puzzles in the Parkinsons disease field why do brain cells in one hemisphere begin dying before brain cells in the other hemisphere?

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? What are the implications for Parkinsons disease?

Response: We found that hemispheric differences are related to molecular modifications on DNA that help determine the day job of a brain cell. Two cells that look totally identical can behave differently because of the molecular, or epigenetic, marks on the cells DNA.

Each cell in the brain has the same genes, but it is epigenetics that dictate whether those genes are switched on or off. Our team found numerous epigenetic differences between the hemispheres of healthy brains that are linked to variations in gene activity. This is important to our fundamental understanding how our brain is built and works.

It may also contribute to understanding the asymmetric nature of Parkinsons disease. In the same study, we found that asymmetry in Parkinsons disease is associated with variations in these epigenetic marks in brain neurons that affect brain development, chemical signaling and immune activation. In other words, epigenetic abnormalities on one side of the brain could make that hemisphere more susceptible to the processes that cause the death of brain cells in Parkinsons.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Both hemispheres of the brain may, at first glance, look identical in structure comprising brain neurons and their helper cells but molecular-level patterns in the cells DNA can cause vastly different behaviors in each hemisphere and enable asymmetry in the brain.

As it relates to Parkinsons disease, the brain appears to be wired at the molecular level such that one hemisphere is more vulnerable to neurogenerative processes than the other. The differences in cell death across hemispheres leads to the appearance of the diseases hallmark symptoms, such as tremors, on one side of the body before the other

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: We are already looking at how the molecular differences that may cause brain asymmetry come into play in other diseases like Alzheimers, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease), multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia.

Understanding how hemispheric differences in the brain affect disease progression sheds light on underlying factors of the disease, which has huge potential for translating into new therapeutic strategies.

Disclosures: Other authors include Peipei Li, Ph.D., Elizabeth Ensink, Sean Lang, Lee Marshall, Ph.D., and Meghan Schilthuis of Van Andel Institute; and Jared Lamp, Ph.D., and Irving Vega, Ph.D., of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. The Flow Cytometry Core, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core and Pathology and Biorepository Core at Van Andel Institute and Integrated Mass Spectrometry Unit at Michigan State University also contributed to this work. Brain tissue was provided by the Parkinsons UK Brain Bank, the NIH NeuroBioBank and the Michigan Brain Bank.

This work was supported by Van Andel Institute.

Labrie is supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research Materiel Command through the Parkinsons Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award under award no. W81XWH1810512. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the U.S. Army. Labrie also is supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R21NS112614 and by Michigan State University through the Gibby & Friends vs. Parky Parkinsons Disease Research Award. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or other granting organizations.

Citation:

Peipei Li, Elizabeth Ensink, Sean Lang, Lee Marshall, Meghan Schilthuis, Jared Lamp, Irving Vega, Viviane Labrie.Hemispheric asymmetry in the human brain and in Parkinsons disease is linked to divergent epigenetic patterns in neurons.Genome Biology, 2020; 21 (1) DOI:10.1186/s13059-020-01960-1

We respect your privacy and will never share your details.

The information on MedicalResearch.com is provided for educational purposes only, and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health and ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In addition to all other limitations and disclaimers in this agreement, service provider and its third party providers disclaim any liability or loss in connection with the content provided on this website.

0

Continue reading here:
Why Do the Identical-Looking Brain Hemispheres Act Differently? - MedicalResearch.com

CRISPR technology has led to innumerable advances in our understanding of the human genome and genetically inherited diseases, however it is not without imperfections. A newer technology, TARE (Toxin-Antidote Recessive Embryo), is being tested out in animal studies, which have thus far been very promising. TARE genomic modification technology improves on CRISPR in two aspects: genetic expression of the modified gene and the ability to pass on the mutation to future generations.

TARE was developed for modifying the epigenetics of non-human species, but as it is a genomic editing technology, can be used to test and modify any genome through the same mechanisms, including human.

CRISPR uses gene drives from genetic engineering to create a desired mutation in a few individuals. To spread this mutation, these individuals mates with a larger population, thus modifying the epigenetics of that species by passing on their DNA. In humans, it could remove and replace an allele that causes a disease.

In theory, such a mechanism could be used to prevent malarial mosquitoes from transmitting disease, or possibly wipe out an invasive species by disabling its ability to reproduce.

Though scientists have had success proving the concept in the lab, they have found that wild populations invariably adapt and develop resistance to the scheme. And when gene drives work, they are and all or nothing, meaning either the gene is modified or not.

A new Cornell study titled, A toxin-antidote CRISPR gene drive system for regional population modification, published Feb. 27 in the journalNature Communications, describes a new type of gene drive with the potential to delay this resistance.

In a classic gene drive, called a homing drive, an offspring inherits one set of genes, or genome, from the mother and another from the father. If an offspring inherits a gene with a drive from one parent and not the other, the drive copies itself into the genome from the parent without the drive.

Those are two things that this new drive that we developed here addresses to some extent, said Philipp Messer, an assistant professor of computational biology, and the papers senior author. Jackson Champer, a postdoctoral researcher in Messers lab, is the first author.

Now that individual has that drive in both of its genomes and it will pass it on to every offspring, Messer said.

The drives are engineered with CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, so when the drive are copied into a new genome, the CRISPR machinery will cut into the chromosome without the drive, and paste in the new code. However, occasionally cells will repair the incision and, in doing so, randomly delete DNA letters. When this happens, the CRISPR gene drive can no longer find a genetic sequence it recognizes in order to make the incision, which creates resistance to the gene insertion and stops the gene drive from spreading.

Natural genetic variationanother source of changes in DNA sequencescan also create resistance to editing technology, since CRISPR gene drives must recognize short genetic sequences in order to make the genomic incision.

We were among the first labs to show that this is a tremendous problem, Messer said.

The paper describes a new gene drive, called TARE (Toxin-Antidote Recessive Embryo), which works by targeting a gene that is essential for an organism to function. Because the organism can survive with only one intact copy of this essential gene, instead of cutting and pasting DNA as homing drives do, the TARE drive simply cuts the other parents gene, disabling it.

Meanwhile, the engineered TARE drive gene has a DNA sequence that has been recoded; the gene works but it wont be recognized or cut in future generations. This way, if an offspring inherits two disabled genes, those individuals wont survive, thereby removing those copies from the population. Meanwhile, as viable individuals mate, more and more surviving offspring will carry TARE drive genes.

This technology allows for a more smooth genetic modification, and one that can last for several generations without worries of the gene being lost after insertion.

Because TARE drives do not cut and paste a drive into a target gene, instead they destroy one of the target gene copies in the offspring, the drive requires a higher frequency of engineered individuals in the population to spread. For this reason, TARE drives are less likely to transfer from one distinct population to another.

A CRISPR gene drive that carries a red fluorescent protein as payload is spread through a population of fruit flies in laboratory experiments. [Jackson Champer/Cornell University]In lab experiments, when fruit flies with TARE gene drives were released in cages of wild-type fruit flies, all the flies in the cage had the TARE drive in just six generations.

The researchers pointed out that resistance can indeed evolve with a TARE drive in the wild, especially in very large populations, but they believe it will take longer and evolve at a much lower rate, Messer said. The implications of using this technology to study human disease remain to be seen.

See the article here:
TARE May Be the Future of Genome Editing, Improving on CRISPR Gene Drive - Clinical OMICs News

Editors note:Dr. Shedingeris a Professor of Religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He is the author of a recent book critiquing Darwinian triumphalism,The Mystery of Evolutionary Mechanisms.

No better advertisements for intelligent design exist than works written by establishment scientists that unintentionally make design arguments. I can think of few better examples than well-known cosmologist Paul Daviess recently published book The Demon in the Machine: How Hidden Webs of Information Are Solving the Mystery of Life (2019).

With a nod toward James Clerk Maxwells entropy-defying demon, Davies argues that the gulf between physics and biology is completely unbridgeable without some fundamentally new concept. Since living organisms consistently resist the ravages of entropy that all forms of inanimate matter are subject to, there must be some non-physical principle allowing living matter to consistently defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics. And for Davies there is; the demon in the machine turns out to be information.

Throughout the book, Davies marvels at the stunning complexity of life, especially at the cellular and molecular levels. He wonders at the existence of molecular machines like motors, pumps, tubes, shears, and rotors paraphernalia familiar to human engineers and their ability to manipulate information in clear and super-efficient ways, in Daviess words conjuring order out of chaos. In fact, he calls the cell a vast web of information management, observing that while molecules are physical structures, information is an abstract concept deriving from the world of human communication.

Yet despite all these analogies between the nanotechnology of life and the world of human engineering, Davies deftly ignores the obvious conclusion the nanotechnology of life must have been designed, just like human-engineered machinery. Though he tries valiantly to ignore this obvious conclusion, Davies cannot completely run and hide, for he explicitly says, It is hard not to be struck by how ingenious all this machinery is, and how astonishing that it remains intact and unchanged over billions of years. (Emphasis in the original.) Indeed! Anything so ingenious must, almost by definition, be the product of intelligence if we are not to drain the word ingenious of its meaning.

But trying to ignore the implications of his own work, Davies soldiers on with more unintentional ID statements:

Lifes ability to construct an internal representation of the world and itself to act as an agent, manipulate its environment and harness energy reflects its foundation in the rules of logic. It is also the logic of life that permits biology to explore a boundless universe of novelty.

Logic, of course, is a product of mental activity. So is Davies implying an active intelligence working at the cellular and molecular level? It appears so even if he would never admit it. Yet he does practically admit it when he throws up his hands and declares, Indeed, lifes complexity is so daunting that it is tempting to give up trying to understand it in physical terms.

If the molecular machinery of the cell has overwhelmed Davies with its sublime complexity, he is equally astounded by the field of epigenetics: In the magic puzzle box of life, epigenetic inheritance is one of the more puzzling bits of magic. He discusses the research on directed mutation by John Cairns in the 1980s, more recent work on epigenetics by Eva Jablonka, and the early work on transposition by Barbara McClintock and its flourishing in James Shapiros Natural Genetic Engineering and concludes: its tempting to imagine that biologists are glimpsing an entire shadow information-processing system at work at the epigenetic level. Tempting indeed! And lest we forget, information processing derives from and is a property of intelligence.

Finally, Davies turns to the origin of life question which he brands as almost a miracle. He agrees that chemistry alone cannot explain the origin of life because one also needs to account for the origin of information. For Davies:

Semantic information is a higher-level concept that is simply meaningless at the level of molecules. Chemistry alone, however complex, can never produce the genetic code or contextual instructions. Asking chemistry to explain coded information is like expecting computer hardware to write its own software.

The origin of coded information is, according to Davies, the toughest problem in evolutionary biology. But, of course, it is only a tough problem for those who have excluded intelligence from the equation a priori. From an ID perspective, the origin of information is no mystery at all. It is always the creation of intelligent minds, a point made consistently by Stephen Meyer.

To explain all this, Davies can do no better than to speculate that somehow new laws and principles emerge from information processing systems of sufficiently great complexity. But he entirely ignores the question of the origin of the information processing system itself, which he has already pronounced as beyond the ability of chemistry alone to explain.

It is likely that Davies would never want to align himself with the ID community. He might believe that the professional cost is just too great. But if I didnt know any better, I would swear that The Demon in the Machine had rolled right off the presses of Discovery Institute. If abstract information is truly at the root of life, then intelligence has to be factored into the equation. Davies has made a compelling case for the former, so by extension and much to his chagrin he seems to be making a compelling case for the latter.

Photo: Paul Davies, by Cmichel67 / CC BY-SA.

Go here to see the original:
Hey, Paul Davies Your ID is Showing - Discovery Institute

Benjamin Mayne is a molecular biologist and bioinformatician with expertise in epigenetics and next-generation sequencing. His PhD. research revealed regulation of gene expression and association with aging due to DNA methylation, an epigenetic modification.

Until now, the lifespan of both humans and animals could only be estimated by observation. No scientific data was proof for the fact that the bowhead whales lifespan is 211 years. This research proves that the accurate estimate is 57 years higher than the previous assumption. It was the worlds longest-lived animal.

The study, therefore, can help estimate the lifespans of extinct species, but, more important, it is fundamental for wildlife management and conservation. It can help the endangered species, helping to understand what populations are viable. Hunting and fisheries can also be controlled, with the help of lifespan to determine catch limits.

The function of gene body methylation is not well understood. But it looks like the new research might narrow the way to understanding it. DNA methylation is a biological process that studies heritable phenotype changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. DNA methylation patterns are largely erased and then re-established between generations in mammals. Almost all of the methylations from the parents are erased.

In humans and other mammals, DNA methylation levels can be used to accurately estimate the age of tissues and cell types, forming an accurate epigenetic clock. The loss of methylation is proportional to age. The lifespan of vertebrate species can be estimated by looking at where DNA methylation occurs in 42 particular genes.

And it looks like humans are expected to live no more than 38 years. The difference we live to see today, between the DNA expiry date and how long humans live today, is due to the outstanding evolution of medicine and lifestyle. It looks lifestyle can overcome DNA prognostic.

Related

Link:
DNA Study Revealed That Humans Are Genetically Programmed To Live Only 38 Years - Webby Feed