|
|
Article: Multiple Copies Of Genes Could Trigger Susceptibility To Disease.
- Article from:
- BIOWORLD Today
- Article date:
- November 3, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 A Thomson Healthcare Company. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Staff Writer
Many different variations in human metabolism and behavior might result from how many copies of a gene someone has, rather than from mutations or single-letter alterations in the genetic code, a study suggested.
A survey of the genomes of 20 normal individuals, carried out at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, showed that there were 221 differences in the numbers of copies of individual genes. In all, 70 genes varied in the number of copies held by different individuals. Those included genes involved in neurological function, regulation of cell growth, regulation of metabolism and several disease genes.
Michael Wigler, a professor at ...