Current Genomics - Volume 6, Issue 8, 2005

Much of the knowledge in modern biology is based on studies of a handful of model organisms, such as the mouse Mus musculus, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the worm Caenorhabditis elegans and the weed Arabidopsis thaliana [1]. In the last 10 years genomic resources have revolutionized research in these organisms and provided precise knowledge of the molecular mechanisms governing fundamental biolo Read More

The homeotic gene studies of Ed Lewis [1] and the embryonic patterning studies of Christiane Nüsslein- Volhard and Eric Wieschaus [2-4] are landmarks of insect developmental genetics that continue to inspire the work of developmental geneticists today. The genes they discovered were subsequently shown to be evolutionarily conserved and are now considered to be basic components of the genetic toolkit that is deploye Read More

The genome sequence of the nematode C. elegans transformed the study of this important research organism in countless ways. In this paper, we outline the equally great impact it has had on evolutionary developmental biology, with an emphasis on sex determination. Sex determination is a compelling area for comparative studies in Caenorhabditis for two reasons. First, striking differences in reproductive mode (gonochoris Read More

Ninety five percent of human genomic DNA does not code for proteins or functional RNA molecules, and is frequently referred to as "junk" or "selfish" DNA. The vast majority of this noncoding DNA has no documented role in the cell. However, according to recent analyses, three quarters of the human genome is transcriptionally active. We discuss whether the expression of non-coding genomic sequences is valuable for th Read More

The pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a non-inhibitory serpin, which is expressed mainly in the eye, but was also reported to be present in the adult human brain, spinal cord and plasma. It is characterized as a neurotrophic/ neuroprotective factor and one of the most potent natural inhibitors of angiogenesis in the eye, where it plays a physiological regulatory role in retinal angiogenesis. In this review we describe the Read More

Apoptosis, the cell's intrinsic death program, plays an important role in the regulation of tissue homeostasis. Also, killing of cancer cells by various cytotoxic approaches such as anticancer drugs, γ-irradiation, suicide genes or immunotherapy, is predominantly mediated through induction of apoptosis in target cells. Understanding the molecular events that regulate apoptosis and how tumor cells evade apoptotic deletion hav Read More

Increasing numbers of human diseases involve mutations, misexpression or malfunctioning of receptor protein tyrosine kinases (RTK). In particular, human cancers are often characterized by altered RTK function, due to different genetic causes. Identification of the gene expression program triggered by (RTKs) is essential to clarify the molecular basis of their biological activities. Intracellular signals of RTKs are initiated by spe Read More

Systematic analysis of a biological system requires elucidation of its components. However, genome sequencing is only the first step; any analysis of transcription control and further functional genomics require the identification of all transcribed transcripts. FANTOM is the international consortium for the "functional annotation of mouse" or the "functional annotation of mammals", and produces data for analyzing the hu Read More