U.S. builds gene network model that quickly confirms gene function

researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a powerful new genetic network model that makes it easier and faster to identify disease-causing genes that control the life of nematodes and the development oftumorsBy expanding the technology, researchers are expected to identify genes that contribute todisease sisi
and other symptoms of physical dysfunction in the futureThe study was published online January 27 in the British journal Nature GeneticsGene networks are models of the interconnectedness of all genes in organisms, and researchers call it Facebook.comBy associating genes with other genes in the network, it is like people using online dating networks to connect with friends and people of common interestThat is, if you know a number of genes and their functions, you can find their "friends" who are doing similar things onlineTo build a genetic network of nematodes, the researchers combined about 20 million experiments worldwideThe complex web of nematodes' 16,000 genetically connected lines looks like a "modern work of art"In one study, researchers set out to look for genes that causetumors in nematodesThetumoris a model of eye cancer (retinoblastoma)By studying the genetic networks of nematodes, they found about 170 new genes that may be involved in tumor development The researchers also tested new features of new genes by using an RNAi (RNA interference) technique that disactivated new genes The technique mimics the activity of a potential drug by removing the function of an individual gene They found that after inactivating 16 of the 170 genes, the tumors in the nematodes were reversed In the study, the researchers also identified genes that control the life span of nematodes, which by 55 percent were used to increase their life span The researchers say the findings set the stage for the creation of a similar network of mice and the human genome Of the more than 20,000 genes sequenced in the human genome, more than half are unknown This gene modeling technique can be used to predict the function of new genes and then to confirm these findings through experiments The discovery is a major step forward in the rational search for disease-causing genes The technology also greatly improves the ability to accurately identify diseases related genes, which can be used for drug development (Feng Weidong)