FLICKR, JULIE VACCALLUZZOA mistimed sleep cycle drastically reduces the number of genes that are expressed in a 24-hour rhythm, scientists reported in PNAS this week (January 20). Most of those genes are involved in transcription and translation, the authors noted.
“The shifting the time of sleep has enormous consequences,” said neurobehavioral geneticist Valter Tucci at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genova, who was not involved in the study. “It’s not by chance that evolution has favored the development of sleep at a particular time,” he added.
WIKIPEDIA, SCMWResearchers reported genome sequences for two canine transmissible venereal tumors in Science this week (January 23), noting that the cancer has picked up around 1.9 million mutations over the last 11,000 or so years. The University of Sydney’s Katherine Belov, who was not involved in the work, pointed out similarities between this transmissible dog cancer and devil facial tumor disease, which continues to ravage Tasmanian devil populations.
“I think it is really important that we continue to study these contagious cancers,” Belov told The Scientist. “They have evolved at least twice. What allows these cancers to emerge, and to become successful and immortal? If we can answer these questions, we will gain insights into human cancers too.”
WIKIMEDIA, MUHAMMAD MAHDI KARIMScanning the transcriptomes of several Drosophila strains, researchers uncovered dozens of possible de novo genes in each. Presented in Science this week (January 23), the research supports the notion that de novo gene formation may even be a common phenomenon.
