Multiple 'siblings' from every gene: Alternate gene reading leads to alternate gene products
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - 01:30
in Biology & Nature
A genome-wide survey shows how our cells create alternate versions of mRNA transcripts -- and therefore alternate proteins -- by slightly altering how they "read" DNA. Researchers found that, in one type of brain cancer, tumors created differing amounts of these protein alternates than did normal cells. Reading our genetic instructions is less a matter of War and Peace for our cells and more like Choose Your Own Adventure.