Analysis of ribosomal RNA sequences in bacteria suggests that the earliest organisms were not hyperthermophiles.

NF-AT transcription factor acts as a downstream component of the WNT/calcium signaling pathway.

Only a small fraction of the thousands of described genetically inherited diseases have been linked to a specific gene. In an Advanced Online Publication in Nature Genetics Carolina Perez-Iratxeta and colleagues at the EMBL in Heidelberg describe using a bioinformatics approach to link genes to diseases (Nat Genet 2002, DOI:10.1038/ng895).Their data-mining system is based on 'fuzzy set theory', which can make inferences from the complex scientific literature. They integrated information from mul

A large macromolecular complex regulates chromatin conformation and gene transcription during the cell cycle.

Inactivation of one of the two X chromosomes in females is regulated by sequences on the X-chromosome within the X inactivation center (Xic). In the May 10 Science, Percec et al. report the identification of trans-acting autosomal elements involved in choosing the particular X chromosome for inactivation (Science 2002, 296:1136-1139).They performed a phenotype-driven genetic screen for mutations that affect X-chromosome silencing choices in mice: they screened mice from parents exposed to chemic

Operons, clustered groups of co-expressed genes, are well known in prokaryotes, but few examples exist in eukaryotic organisms. The availability of extensive transcriptome and genomic data for many eukaryotes is encouraging researchers to look more closely for clusters of co-regulated genes in higher organisms. In an Advanced Online Publication in Nature Genetics Martin Lercher and colleagues at the University of Bath, UK, report the existence of clusters of housekeeping genes in the human genom

The threat of bioterrorism has renewed interest in techniques for pathogen detection, monitoring and analysis. In the May 8 ScienceXpress, Timothy Read and researchers at The Institute for Genome Research (TIGR) Maryland, USA, describe a genome-based analysis of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax (DOI:10.1126/science.1071837).Read et al. assembled sequences from a recent isolate of B. anthracis used in a series of fatal letter-based attacks in Florida that followed in the wake of

The inventors of SAGE technology describe a modified method to facilitate gene discovery.

Analysis of the human transcriptome is often limited to annotated sequences. In the May 3 Science, Philipp Kapranov and colleagues at Affymetrix Inc., California provide evidence for many undiscovered transcribed sequences from human chromosomes 21 and 22 (Science 2002, 296:916-919).Most microarray transcriptome analysis is based on annotated exon sequences. Kapranov et al. took an empirical approach and constructed microarrays containing 25-mer oligonucleotides spaced uniformly every 35 base-pa

The process of RNA splicing by the spliceosome helps to generate molecular diversity beyond the genome sequence. In the May 3 Science, Tyson Clark and colleagues at the University of California, Santa Cruz describe a genome-wide study of splicing in yeast (Science 2002, 296:907-910).Clark et al. designed custom microarrays with oligonucleotides capable of distinguishing between spliced and unspliced RNAs, and demonstrated the specificity of this splicing-specific microarray by analysing RNA from

Alcoholism is a complex disorder with contributions from both genetic factors and environmental factors, such as stress. In the May 3 Science, Inge Sillaber and colleagues report the use of a genetic model to investigate stress-induced alcohol drinking in mice (Science 2002, 296:931-933).Sillaber et al. studied mice lacking the Crhr1 gene, encoding the receptor for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which has been implicated in stress-induced psychiatric disorders including alcoholism. Mutan

Laboratory animals can be trained to perform simple tasks in response to external cues (such as specific noises) or rewards (such as food). In the May 2 Nature, Sanjiv Talwar and colleagues describe a learning procedure based on brain microstimulation rather than external cues (Nature 2002, 417:37-38).Talwar et al. implanted stimulating electrodes in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) or the somatosensory cortical, to mimic rewards or cues, respectively. They strapped a remote-control microstimul