Study results from Baylor College of Medicine update understanding of bioengineering
2007 SEP 24 -- A report, "Pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutations in protein-coding genes," is newly published data in Muscle & Nerve. According to a study from the United States, "More than 200 disease-related mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) point mutations have been reported in the Mitomap database. These mutations can be divided into two groups: mutations affecting mitochondrial protein synthesis, including mutations in tRNA and rRNA genes; and mutations in protein-encoding genes (mRNAs)." "This review focuses on mutations in mitochondrial genes that encode proteins. These mutations are involved in a broad spectrum of human diseases, including a variety of multisystem disorders as well as more tissue-specific diseases such as isolated myopathy and Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Because the mitochondrial genome contains a large number of apparently neutral polymorphisms that have little pathogenic significance, along with secondary homoplasmic mutations that do not have primary disease-causing effect, the pathogenic role of all newly discovered mutations must be rigorously established," wrote L.J Wong and colleagues, Baylor College of Medicine. The researchers concluded: "A scoring system has been applied to evaluate the pathogenicity of the mutations in mtDNA protein-encoding genes and to review the predominant clinical features and the molecular characteristics of mutations in each mtDNA-encoded respiratory chain complex." Wong and colleagues published their study in Muscle & Nerve (Pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutations in protein-coding genes. Muscle & Nerve, 2007;36(3):279-93). For more information, contact L.J. Wong, Baylor College of Medicine, Dept. of Molecular and Human Genetics, One Baylor Plaza, NAB2015, Houston, Texas 77030 USA.. Publisher contact information for the journal Muscle & Nerve is: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA. Keywords: United States, Houston, Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, DNA, Genomics, Protein Encoding, Proteomics. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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