100 Years of Genetics
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Download Program Guide
2011 C. elegans Meeting Organizing Committee Co-chairs: Oliver Hobert Columbia University Meera Sundaram University of Pennsylvania Organizing Committee: Raffi Aroian University of California, San Diego Ikue Mori Nagoya University Jean-Louis Bessereau INSERM Benjamin Podbilewicz Technion Israel Institute of Keith Blackwell Harvard Medical School Technology Andrew Chisholm University of California, San Diego Valerie Reinke Yale University Barbara Conradt Dartmouth Medical School Janet Richmond University of Illinois, Chicago Marie Anne Felix CNRS-Institut Jacques Monod Ann Rougvie University of Minnesota David Greenstein University of Minnesota Shai Shaham Rockefeller University Alla Grishok Columbia University Ahna Skop University of Wisconsin, Madison Craig Hunter Harvard University Ralf Sommer Max-Planck Institute for Bill Kelly Emory University Developmental Biology, Tuebingen Ed Kipreos University of Georgia Asako Sugimoto RIKEN, Kobe Todd Lamitina University of Pennsylvania Heidi Tissenbaum University of Massachusetts Chris Li City College of New York Medical School Sponsored by The Genetics Society of America 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3998 telephone: (301) 634-7300 fax: (301) 634-7079 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: http:/www.genetics-gsa.org Front cover design courtesy of Ahna Skop 1 Table of Contents Schedule of All Events.....................................................................................................................4 Maps University of California, Los Angeles, Campus .....................................................................7 -
Caenorhabditis Microbiota: Worm Guts Get Populated Laura C
Clark and Hodgkin BMC Biology (2016) 14:37 DOI 10.1186/s12915-016-0260-7 COMMENTARY Open Access Caenorhabditis microbiota: worm guts get populated Laura C. Clark and Jonathan Hodgkin* Please see related Research article: The native microbiome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: Gateway to a new host-microbiome model, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12915-016-0258-1 effects on the life history of the worm are often profound Abstract [2]. It has been increasingly recognized that the worm Until recently, almost nothing has been known about microbiota is an important consideration in achieving a the natural microbiota of the model nematode naturalistic experimental model in which to study, for Caenorhabditis elegans. Reporting their research in instance, host–pathogen interactions or worm behavior. BMC Biology, Dirksen and colleagues describe the first Dirksen et al [3] present the first step towards under- sequencing effort to characterize the gut microbiota standing understanding the complex interactions of the of environmentally isolated C. elegans and the related natural worm microbiota by reporting a 16S rDNA-based taxa Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis “head count” of the bacterial population present in wild remanei In contrast to the monoxenic, microbiota-free nematode isolates (Fig. 1). Interestingly, it appears that cultures that are studied in hundreds of laboratories, it nematodes isolated from diverse natural environment- appears that natural populations of Caenorhabditis s—and even those that have been maintained for a short harbor distinct microbiotas. time on E. coli following isolation—share a “core” host- defined microbiota. This finding is in agreement with work by Berg et al. -
From the President's Desk
JAN/FEB 2006 From the President’s desk: 2006, the 75th anniversary of the Genetics Society of America, will be marked by a number of initiatives to reinvigorate the Society’s mission of promoting research and education in genetics. A highlight was the recently held GSA sponsored conference, “Genetic Analysis: From Model Organisms to Human Biology” in San Diego from January 5-7. This conference emphasized the importance of model organism research by illustrating the crucial contributions to human biology resulting from discoveries in these organisms. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported this conference both financially and by participation of key NIH administrators, including Jeremy M. Berg, director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. In addition to the superb science talks by international leaders the MOHB conference showcased other important and new GSA initiatives including education, public policy advocacy, graduate student support and recognition of outstanding model organism geneticists. Robin Wright, Education Committee chair, led a round table discussion on undergraduate education and the Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy and the Congressional Liaison Committee sponsored a session on science advocacy and public policy. There was a mentor lunch to support graduate students and postdocs in the next steps of their careers, and the three GSA medals were presented during the banquet, with Victor Ambros receiving the GSA Medal, Fred Sherman the Beadle Award, and Masatoshi Nei the Morgan Award. (For research highlights at the meeting, see pages 6 and 7 of this issue.) The 75th anniversary will also usher in changes to our society’s journal, GENETICS. -
Genetics Society News
July 2008 . ISSUE 59 GENETICS SOCIETY NEWS www.genetics.org.uk IN THIS ISSUE Genetics Society News is edited by Steve Russell. Items for future issues should be sent to Steve Russell, preferably by email to • Genetics Society Epigenetics Meeting [email protected], or hard copy to Department of Genetics, • Genetics Society Sponsored Meetings University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH. The Newsletter is published twice a year, with copy dates of 1st June and • Travel, Fieldwork and Studentship Reports 26th November. • John Evans: an Appreciation Cocoons of the parasitoid wasp Cotesia vestalis on cabbage leaf in Taiwan. From the • Twelve Galton Lectures fieldwork report by Jetske G. de Boer on page 36. • My Favourite Paper A WORD FROM THE EDITOR A word from the editor ow soon until the $1000 based on the results of tests we genome is actually with barely understand! Here in the Hus and individual UK there is currently a sequencing is widespread? The moratorium, adhered to by publication of increasing most insurers, on the use of numbers of individual human genetic testing information for genome sequences suggests assessing life insurance that we should start to consider applications. It is important some of the implications that this remains in place and associated with the availability its effectiveness is reviewed of personal genetic well before the current information. In this issue we moratorium expires in 2011. present two articles reflecting The Human Genetics on his issue: a report from a Commission Genetics Society sponsored (http://www.hgc.gov.uk) meeting recently held in monitor issues relating to Cambridge organised by The genetic discrimination in the Triple Helix, an international UK and are a point of contact undergraduate organisation, as for those with any concerns in the Millennium Technology Prize. -
Dissecting Dispensability
NEWS AND VIEWS Dissecting dispensability Laurence D Hurst & Csaba Pál Like most organisms, yeast has relatively few genes that are necessary for viability. The presence of a duplicate gene elsewhere in the genome underpins many cases of dispensability. A new study suggests that the backup mechanism is more complex than previously assumed and requires feedback loops that ensure transcriptional upregulation of the duplicate. Four-fifths of yeast’s genes are not essential there is no relationship between the degree of The idea that the process involves active for viability1. This preponderance of dis- coexpression and the likelihood that a gene will reprogramming of transcription might lead pensable genes is observed in eukaryotes2,3 be dispensible11. Kafri et al. show that, in yeast, some to suggest that the process might be the and prokaryotes4,5, with only one known most duplicate-associated backup involves product of selection for dispensability. But this exception to date (the intracellular parasite genes that, on average, are not strongly coex- would be too hasty a conclusion. Isozymes are Mycoplasma genitalium)6. Many examples of pressed, do not share many similar 5′ motifs not maintained for key reactions in the meta- apparent dispensability may depend on the (that bind particular transcription factors) bolic network, suggesting that their retention specific conditions under which some genes and diverged from each other a long time ago. is not due to selection7. are required (conditions not normally seen in How can such genes be redundant but not the laboratory)7, but this explanation cannot coexpressed? Feedback loops and upregulation account for all cases. -
Detecting Selection on Noncoding Nucleotide Variation: Methods and Applications
University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2015 Detecting Selection on Noncoding Nucleotide Variation: Methods and Applications Yang Ding University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Bioinformatics Commons, Biology Commons, and the Evolution Commons Recommended Citation Ding, Yang, "Detecting Selection on Noncoding Nucleotide Variation: Methods and Applications" (2015). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 1687. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1687 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1687 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Detecting Selection on Noncoding Nucleotide Variation: Methods and Applications Abstract There has been a long tradition in molecular evolution to study selective pressures operating at the amino-acid level. But protein-coding variation is not the only level on which molecular adaptations occur, and it is not clear what roles non-coding variation has played in evolutionary history, since they have not yet been systematically explored. In this dissertation I systematically explore several aspects of selective pressures of noncoding nucleotide variation: The first project (Chapter 2) describes research on the determinants of eukaryotic translation dynamics, which include selection on non-coding aspects of DNA variation. Deep sequencing of ribosome-protected mRNA fragments and polysome gradients in various eukaryotic organisms have revealed an intriguing pattern: shorter mRNAs tend to have a greater overall density of ribosomes than longer mRNAs. There is debate about the cause of this trend. To resolve this open question, I systematically analysed 5’ mRNA structure and codon usage patterns in short versus long genes across 100 sequenced eukaryotic genomes. -
Issue 84 of the Genetics Society Newsletter
JANUARY 2021 | ISSUE 84 GENETICS SOCIETY NEWS In this issue The Genetics Society News is edited by • Non-canonical Careers: Thinking Outside the Box of Academia and Industry Margherita Colucci and items for future • Celebrating the 35th anniversary of DNA fingerprinting issues can be sent to the editor by email • Genetics Society Summer Studentship Workshop 2020 to [email protected]. • 2020 Heredity best student-led paper prize winners The Newsletter is published twice a year, • Industrious Science: interview with Dr Paul Lavin with copy dates of July and January. Celebrating students’ achievements: 2020 Genetics Society Summer Studentship Workshop, 2020 Heredity best student-led paper prize. Page 30 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR A word from the editor Welcome to Issue 84 elcome to the latest issue of the Thinking Outside the Box of WGenetics Society Newsletter! Academia and Industry”. This little This issue is packed with great news vade mecum for careers in genetics of achievements and good science. The collects inspiring interviews led first Genetics Society virtual workshop by our very own Postgraduate for the 2020 Summer studentship saw Representative, Emily Baker. In exceptional contributions from the Emily’s words, these experiences attending students. You can read more “demonstrate how a PhD in genetics about participants’ experiences in the can be a platform for a career in just interviews with the talk’s winners in about anything. Pursuing a career the Feature section. in academia, industry, publishing or science communication could be for Many more prizes were awarded: you, but so could many others. Why Heredity journal announced the not take a career path less travelled 2020 Heredity best student-led paper by, it might make all the difference?” winners, and James Burgon’s Heredity podcast dedicated an episode to the Enjoy! first prize winner, with insights from Best wishes, Heredity Editor-in-Chief, Barbara Margherita Colucci Mable. -
A N N U a L R E P O R T 2 0
0 1 0 2 Acknowledgements T R HFSPO is grateful for the support of the following organizations: O P Australia E R National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) L Canada A Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) U Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) N European Union N European Commission - A Directorate General Information Society (DG INFSO) European Commission - Directorate General Research (DG RESEARCH) France Communauté Urbaine de Strasbourg (CUS) Ministère des Affaires Etrangères et Européennes (MAEE) Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (MESR) Région Alsace Germany Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) India Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology Italy Ministry of Education, University and Research (CNR) Japan Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Republic of Korea Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) New Zealand Health Research Council (HRC) Norway Research Council of Norway (RCN) Switzerland State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) United Kingdom The International Human Frontier Science Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Program Organization (HFSPO) Council (BBSRC) 12 quai Saint Jean - BP 10034 Medical Research Council (MRC) 67080 Strasbourg CEDEX - France Fax. +33 (0)3 88 32 88 97 United States of America e-mail: [email protected] National Institutes of Health (NIH) Web site: www.hfsp.org National Science Foundation (NSF) Japanese web site: http://jhfsp.jsf.or.jp HUMAN FRONTIER SCIENCE PROGRAM The Human Frontier Science Program is unique, supporting international collaboration to undertake innovative, risky, basic research at the frontiers of the life sciences. -
Issue 82 of the Genetics Society Newsletter
JANUARY 2020 | ISSUE 82 GENETICS SOCIETY NEWS In this issue The Genetics Society News is edited by Margherita Colucci and items for future • Medal and Prize Lecture Announcements issues can be sent to the editor by email • “A Century of Genetics” conference to [email protected]. • Celebrating the centenary of Fisher 1918 The Newsletter is published twice a year, • Research and travel grant reports with copy dates of July and January. Speakers’ dinner at the “A Century of Genetics” conference, November 2019, Edinburgh. (Photo by Douglas Vernimmen) A WORD FROM THE EDITOR A word from the editor Welcome to Issue 82 elcome to the latest issue of reports in the Sectional Interest Wthe GenSoc Newsletter and Groups: Reports section. my first steps (pages?) as new editor. And why not (re)discovering another I am eager to start this journey with great milestone such as the publishing you through the latest Genetics of Fisher’s 1918 paper, “The correlation Society achievements and genetics between relatives on the supposition news! I would like to thank all of Mendelian inheritance”, recently GenSoc committee for giving me this reaching its centenary recurrence? opportunity. I am sure you will greatly enjoy the In this issue, I will bring you back to report in the Features section. the inspiring and lively atmosphere Enjoy! of the GenSoc meeting ‘A Century of Genetics’ in Edinburgh (November Best wishes, 2019) - a really big thanks to all of those Margherita Colucci who kindly contributed. Many Sectional Interest groups have been very active: you will find their In this issue, I will bring you back to the inspiring and lively atmosphere of the GenSoc meeting “A Century of Genetics” in Edinburgh (November 2019) - a really big thanks to all of those who kindly contributed. -
Perspectives
Copyright Ó 2007 by the Genetics Society of America Perspectives Anecdotal, Historical and Critical Commentaries on Genetics Edited by James F. Crow and William F. Dove R. A. Fisher’s 1943 Unravelling of the Rhesus Blood-Group System A. W. F. Edwards1 Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge CB2 1TA, United Kingdom VEN if R. A. Fisher’s elucidation of the human blood- binatorial skills and his relations with A. S. Wiener, and E group system Rhesus in terms of the three linked to add a personal coda. It is best to take first the diagram loci C, D, and E had not proved to be substantially (Figure 1) from Fisher (1947) because it explains the correct, it would still have been an outstanding example relationship between the original Rhesus notation and of the power of analytical thought to unravel a complex that proposed by Fisher. As Fisher writes, ‘‘We may repre- array of genetical data. In fact, as a recent review relates sent the eight heritable antigen complexes geometrically (Avent et al. 2006), D is one gene (carrying the D anti- as the corners of a cube, while the six elementary antigens gen) and C and E are different splicing forms of another are represented by the faces; each allelomorphic pair of (CE carrying the C or c antigens and the E or e antigens). antigens is then a pair of opposite faces, and the three Fisher’s solution is recognizable beneath the modern faces meeting in any point specify the antigens in each molecular detail. complex.’’ (Ry) and (CdE) are in parentheses because The story of the unravelling of the Rhesus puzzle is the anti-d antibody had not yet been discovered (nor has told in chapter 13 of Joan Fisher Box’s R. -
Neuronal Function of Tbx20 Conserved from Nematodes to Vertebrates
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Developmental Biology 317 (2008) 671–685 www.elsevier.com/developmentalbiology Genomes & Developmental Control Neuronal function of Tbx20 conserved from nematodes to vertebrates Roger Pocock a,1,2, Marina Mione b,1,3, Sagair Hussain c, Sara Maxwell a, Marco Pontecorvi d, ⁎ ⁎ Sobia Aslam a, Dianne Gerrelli e, Jane C. Sowden c, , Alison Woollard a, a Genetics Unit, Biochemistry Department, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK b Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK c Developmental Biology Unit, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK d Department of Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK e Neural Development Unit, University College London Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK Received for publication 27 September 2007; revised 4 February 2008; accepted 6 February 2008 Available online 21 February 2008 Abstract The Tbx20 orthologue, mab-9, is required for development of the Caenorhabditis elegans hindgut, whereas several vertebrate Tbx20 genes promote heart development. Here we show that Tbx20 orthologues also have a role in motor neuron development that is conserved between invertebrates and vertebrates. mab-9 mutants exhibit guidance defects in dorsally projecting axons from motor neurons located in the ventral nerve cord. Danio rerio (Zebrafish) tbx20 morphants show defects in the migration patterns of motor neuron soma of the facial and trigeminal motor neuron groups. Human TBX20 is expressed in motor neurons in the developing hindbrain of human embryos and we show that human TBX20 can substitute for zebrafish tbx20 in promoting cranial motor neuron migration. -
Genetics Society News
JULY 2016 | ISSUE 75 GENETICS SOCIETY NEWS In this issue The Genetics Society News is edited by Manuela Marescotti and items for future • Medal awarded issues can be sent to the editor, by email to • Meetings [email protected]. • Student and Travel Reports The Newsletter is published twice a year, with copy dates of July and January. Cover image: Coming of Age: The Legacy of Dolly at 20 Interview with Professor Sir Ian Wilmut. See page 19 A WORD FROM THE EDITOR A word from the editor Welcome to Issue 75 Welcome to a new issue of our could lead to a world populated newsletter. by “photocopies” of few perfect I would like to point out the people; till now, after studying interesting interview granted genetics for almost the past 20 by Professor Sir Ian Wilmut to years, I learned the real and Dr Kay Boulton and Dr Doug less catastrophic meaning of Vernimmen on the occasion of “cloning”, but, more importantly, the 20th anniversary of the birth the implications in different of Dolly the sheep. Who would fields. have thought that such a mild and Also you will find a big number gentle animal, as a sheep could of reports authored by scientists revolutionise the scientific world? that have been supported by our Her Finn Dorset and Blackface Society, to form themselves, or ‘parents’ could never have dreamt new generations of geneticists or of such great things. to progress in their research. It is funny to think for me, how Read on and enjoy. this achievement changed shape Best wishes, in my mind since 1998 when I was Manuela Marescotti just a teen-ager, believing that it Professor Sir Ian Wilmut discusses the 20th anniversary of the birth of Dolly the sheep.