We inherit similar sets of genes from both our parents, but of a small number of genes only one of the copies is active, the copy from the other parent being imprinted ™ to be silent.
The research group, headed by Dr Gavin Kelsey has published a study in Nature Genetics which describes the effects of altering an imprinted gene in mice that specifies a controller of hormone action. This shows that imprinting has important effects on the way young interact with their mothers, and how they regulate their food intake and metabolism.
This work provides more evidence that instead of co-operating, some genes that we inherit from our parents can be in conflict. The imprinted genes received from fathers make greater demands on mothers, whilst imprinted genes from mothers are more conservative. It appears to be crucial that we have the right balance of imprinted genes.
Dr Kelsey comments Our work also shows that this balance may be important for a wide range of physiological effects relevant to our health, such as controlling blood sugar and obesity. Although removing the imprinted gene leads to slim ™ mice, more work needs to be done before we can apply this theory to humans.
babraham.ac/
The March of Dimes provided funding to Eduardo E. Castilla, M.D., Ph.D., Professor at ECLAMC, a genetic resource facility in Brazil, as well as to a collaboration between Andrew Lidral, D.D.S., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, and Mauricio Arcos-Burgos, M.D., Ph.D., at the University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
Cleft lip (with and without cleft palate) occurs in about 1 in every 1,000 births in the U.S., or more than 4,000 babies each year. A cleft is an opening or separation in a body structure. Clefts that occur in the oral-facial region often involve the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (hard palate), or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth (soft palate). More than 70 percent of babies with cleft lip also have cleft palate.
Children with oral clefts experience difficulties in chewing, swallowing, and speaking, and are prone to frequent ear infections that can lead to hearing loss. Depending on the severity of the cleft, dental problems may also occur. Surgical repair is an important part of treatment for oral clefts, but is not a complete solution for many children.
Isolated clefts are associated with an overall lifetime increase in the risk of premature death from all causes, according to a recent long-term followup study.
modimes/