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Collaborative research sheds light on ‘dark’ portion of genome

Just as there is a mysterious dark matter that accounts for 85 percent of our universe, there is a “dark” portion of the human genome that has perplexed scientists for decades. A study published March 9, 2020, in Genome Research identifies new portions of the fruit fly genome that, until now, have been hidden in these dark, silent areas. The ...

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Novel role for a lncRNA molecule found in the blood vessel wall may have implications for chronic vascular disease states and aging

Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital have made a potentially exciting discovery by jumping into the abyss of the dark side of the genome. Once dismissed as “junk DNA,” roughly 75 percent of the human genome do not code for proteins. But these dark regions of the genome are far from junk — instead, they may hold tantalizing clues about ...

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lncRNA that suppresses melanoma tumors has been identified

lncrna

A promising route to develop new treatments for skin cancer has been identified by University of Bath scientists, who have found a molecule that suppresses melanoma tumour growth. Although the research is at an early stage, the team hope that their work could help develop new ways to combat melanoma and potentially other cancers too. The team from the University ...

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Scientists image heart lncRNA structure for the first time

lncrna

Scientists at Los Alamos and international partners have created the first 3-D images of a special type of RNA molecule that is critical for stem cell programming and known as the “dark matter” of the genome. “As far as we know,” said corresponding author Karissa Sanbonmatsu, “this is the first full 3-D structural study of any long, non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ...

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