Saturday, February 25, 2006
UCR Researchers Unlock How Cells Determine Their Functions
UCR News: UCR Researchers Unlock How Cells Determine Their Functions: "RIVERSIDE, California. - www.ucr.edu - Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered a molecular mechanism that directs the fate and function of cells during animal development. The findings could hold promise for the advancement of cancer and stem-cell research...
...The paper explains how proteins, known as epigenetic activators (such as Ash1 from the fruit fly Drosophila), bind to their target DNA and activate genes that determine what function a cell will have in the body.
'The fact that these epigenetic activators, such as Ash1, turn on the expression of specific target genes has been known for some time. However, the mechanisms by which epigenetic activators recognize and bind these target genes was not yet known' Sauer pointed out." [Evolution]
technorati tags: riverside, california, molecular, mechanism, cell, proteins, epigenetic, activators, fruit+fly, drosphilia, dna, genes, news, evolution
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