Heidelberg, (07/03/2011). Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have developed a new method with which they decipher the interplay of genes. Different genes can amplify each other in their effect, neutralize or mitigate altogether. The way this happens is similar to the method by proposing the Internet platform "Facebook" users with new friends. Their results, the researchers led by Michael Boutros of the DKFZ / Heidelberg University and Wolfgang Huber of the EMBL just published in the online issue of the journal Nature Methods. Many genes come in different people in different variants. To detect such variants that increase the risk for certain diseases, scientists compare the genes of patients with those of healthy controls. But often these studies provide no clear results: for the effect of specific genetic variants often depends on whether other genes are affected. Only the interaction of several genes has consequences. The now presented by Boutros and Huber method can detect these effects combinations.
The so-called RNA interference they switched genes individually and in all pairwise combinations. By the researchers systematically cataloged all the interactions between key signaling molecules, they received for each gene, a detailed list of interaction partners, similar to a "friends list" in the social network "Facebook".
"If two Facebook users have the same friends, we can assume with high probability that having known each other - even if they did not" Facebook friends "are," said Michael Boutros. "Applied to the situation in the genome can be predicted by comparing their interactions, which genes are a common feature behalf. "
Boutros, Huber and her colleagues are now so" in Friends, genes that influence in their effects. For example, researchers discovered in their experiments, a previously unknown component of the RAS signaling pathway, which plays in the development of cancer is an important role. This new method could therefore help to identify new components of cancer-relevant signaling pathways and thus potential targets for new cancer therapies.
These studies were of Excellence cell networks in which Boutros and Huber members are strongly supported.
Citation: Horn, T., Sandmann, T., Fischer, B., Axelsson, E., Huber, W. & Boutros, M. Mapping of signaling networks through Synthetic Genetic Interaction Analysis by RNAi. Nature Methods, advance online publication 6 March 2011th DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.1581.
A picture in this press release is available on the Internet at:
http://www.dkfz.de/de/presse/pressemitteilungen/2011/images/bild_pm_13.jpg
Caption: genes are located on the genetic material in nucleus, in this photo are the cell nuclei stained red.
This press release is available at http://www.dkfz.de/pressemitteilungen
The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), with more than 2,500 Employees, the largest biomedical research institution in Germany. About 1,000 scientists and scholars to explore the DKFZ to capture how cancer develops, cancer risk factors and look for new strategies to prevent people from developing cancer. They develop new approaches to accurately diagnose tumors and cancer patients can be treated successfully. Besides clarifying the staff of the Cancer Information Service (KID), members and interested citizens about the disease as cancer. The Center is financed to 90 percent by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and to 10 percent by the State of Baden-Württemberg financed and is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres.
Source: idw
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