Despite progress in decoding the genome, scientists estimate that fully 95 percent of our DNA represents dark, unknown territory. In the October 1 issue of the journal Cell researchers at The Wistar Institute shed new light on the genetic unknown with the discovery of the ability of long non-coding RNA (ncRNA) to promote gene expression. The researchers believe these long ncRNA molecules may represent so-called gene enhancer elements—short regions of DNA that can increase gene transcription. While scientists have known about gene enhancers for decades, there has been no consensus about how these enhancers work.

via Researchers discover new class of objects encoded within the genome.

(PhysOrg.com) — Supercomputer simulations at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are helping scientists unravel how nucleic acids could have contributed to the origins of life.

via Powerful supercomputer peers into the origin of life.

There is no known cure for food allergies with sufferers forced to constantly check the ingredients on food packaging and make enquiries at restaurants before digging into a meal. Even taking such precautions it is almost impossible to avoid all food allergen exposure, especially with children. With even minor exposure having the potential to cause severe or even life threatening reactions in some people, the discovery of a way to turn off the immune system’s allergic reaction to certain proteins in mice, could have implications for the millions of food allergy sufferers worldwide.

via Researchers discover way to turn off severe allergic reaction to food in mice.

On the eve of planting, Paul Taylor, a corn-and-soybean farmer in north central Illinois, made a quick decision.

The signs were auspicious: The sun was shining, the air was warm, the fields were dry. So he returned the 50-pound bags of expensive, genetically modified seed corn that were waiting in his shed and planted instead ordinary hybrid seeds, the kind his grandfather might have sown. An early start and lower seed costs could pay off at harvesttime.

"I’m going to roll the dice on it," he said after planting.

via Signs of a biotech backlash? – CSMonitor.com.

Acetylation—the addition of a small clump of atoms called an acetyl group—may be the most important body process you have never heard of: It activates and deactivates proteins, thereby regulating access to our DNA and helping control gene expression. The latest research suggests that this protein tagging is even more influential than scientists had previously believed. If so, learning to manipulate it could yield powerful new approaches to treating disease.

via A Master Switch in the Body
| Genes & Health
| DISCOVER Magazine.

Earlier this morning I received the following email invitation from Singularity University. I’m posting it here because I believe you’ll be interested in seeing it. Perhaps one of you may want to attend SU -

Subject: Invitation: Learn to Hack Bacteria in your Living Room and More

Frank,
A few weeks ago, SU faculty Andrew Hessel gave a private lecture to our Singularity University students showing them how to “hack” bacteria in their living rooms, using simple products they could buy in any store…

More than just a cocktail party trick, the ability to hack bacteria at home demonstrates how much more is known about bacteria and DNA for more effective and personalized healthcare and treatments.

Andrew is co-chair of the Biotech and Bioinformatics track, and an expert in biotech and synthetic biology. Here is an interview with Andrew discussing recent advances and innovations:

http://singularityu.org/videos/2009/12/andrew-hessel-on-the-future-of-synthetic-biology/

Andrew will be working personally with the 50 people who get in to our Executive Program beginning October 14. Interested in working with him and other industry experts one on one?

We understand this is a busy time of year, and schedules get jam-packed. But, we’ve saved three spots for people who apply last minute. We don’t believe in first-come-first serve, as we want to accept only the best candidates…

Want to learn about the latest innovations in six tracks including biotech and artificial intelligence/robotics from industry leaders? And understand how they will impact and benefit your career, company, and life? Contact Kip Stringfellow at kip@singularityu.org to register and for more information.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Executive Program!

Singularity University
This message was sent by: Singularity University, NASA Ames, Moffett Field, CA 94035

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to have extra or missing DNA compared with normal children, British researchers have found.

The study compared the genomes of 366 white British children from five to 17 years old with attention deficit hyperactivity, or ADHD, to those of more than 1,000 similar children without the disorder.

via CBC News – Health – Kids with ADHD show DNA changes: study.

Should we clone a neanderthal? No, really, should we? Recently, Archaeology magazine considered the scientific, legal, and of course ethical challenges of doing just that. Researchers from Roche’s 454 Life Sciences and genetics firm Illumina are collecting bits of Neanderthal DNA to sequence the genome of a 30,000-year-old Neanderthal woman from Croatia. Once the genome is complete, making a clone is no easy task. But as the article explains, it’s within the relam of possibility. And what happens if there’s success?

via Cloning Neanderthals – Boing Boing.

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2010) — Researchers in England say they have discovered a set of biomarkers that can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostate disease and healthy tissue with 90 percent accuracy. This preliminary data, if validated in larger ongoing studies, could be developed into a serum protein test that reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies and identifies men who need treatment before symptoms begin.

via Biomarker panel identifies prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy.

Its many detractors have called it the "Frankenfish". They say it will leave poison on our dinner plates and spoil the marine environment. Its proponents, meanwhile, argue that a genetically modified salmon could help preserve the oceans and feed the world for decades to come.

via A giant leap into the unknown: GM salmon that grows and grows -
Science, News – The Independent.

The U.S. has moved closer to approving a laboratory-tweaked salmon that grows twice as fast as conventional farmed fish and would become the first genetically modified animal to appear on American dinner plates.

via Gene-Altered Fish Closer to Approval – WSJ.com.

Those schoolchildren possessing the “right” combinations achieved significantly better results in numeracy, literacy and science…

Click here to access the entire article.

(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to allow a genetically engineered Atlantic salmon to be the first such animal to be sold as food…

Click here for the complete article.

Click here for more information on genetically modified foods.

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The Food Standards Agency has discovered that a bull which was bred from a cloned cow has been slaughtered and eaten in the UK.

Stem cell biologist Professor Robin Lovell-Badge told Today presenter Evan Davis that he believes it is safe to eat the meat, adding: “Sometimes a cloned animal will have some abnormalities, doesn’t mean that’s going to be unsafe to eat to begin with. When you breed from that animal you’ll reset all those issues and you’ll be back to perfectly normal.” LISTEN TO PODCAST>>>