Word: dna
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Then he had an epiphany: he realized that he didn't need to identify those parts of a cell's genome that code for proteins as long as the cell itself can identify them. Venter switched his attention from the DNA blueprint to the RNA templates the cell makes from those blueprints. His task vastly simplified, he began turning out gene sequences at unprecedented rates...
...look more closely at the baby's genetic prospects, doctors must probe the long stretches of DNA along the chromosomes constituting its genes. Thanks to the spectacular success of molecular biologists in identifying specific disease genes, burgeoning U.S. genetic centers now offer DNA tests for 30 or 40 of the more commonly inherited disorders, including cystic fibrosis, susceptibility to some types of breast cancer, fragile X syndrome (after Down, the most common cause of mental retardation), Huntington's disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and various types of degeneration of the brainstem, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. If you include testable variants...
Even more genetic gee-wizardry lies just down the road. Using biochips--thumbnail-size pieces of material imprinted with hundreds of different DNA probes--scientists should be able to identify genetic errors almost as quickly as a supermarket scanner prices a load of groceries. In some systems, the probes use different fluorescent dyes that glow under laser light when they hook up with target genes, allowing sensors to tabulate the results automatically. Genetic researchers are already talking about using "FISH [for fluorescent in-situ hybridization] and chips," as they whimsically call these new tools, to look for any number...
...fertilized eggs are subjected to intense DNA analysis. Only those that pass the test are implanted. Says Dr. Jeffrey Botkin, a University of Utah pediatrics professor: "Instead of aborting a fetus, you're flushing down a bunch of 16-cell embryos--which, to a lot of folks [who oppose abortion], is a lot less of a problem...
Sugarcoating the message, however, doesn't change the fact that the message is fundamentally problematic. Genetic testing tells us things about ourselves we may not want to know. Like the twists and turns of the gene-bearing DNA molecule, it brings with it great promise, occasional hidden perils and many, many unresolved questions...