Human Genetic Variation Alters Anthrax Toxin Sensitivity
Martchenko, Candille et al., PNAS
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine show that genetic variation affecting capillary morphogenesis gene 2, or CMG2, dramatically alters toxin sensitivity in humans. In its analysis, the team reports on "a CMG2 single-nucleotide polymorphism occurring frequently in African and European populations [that they found] independently altered toxin uptake." The group goes on to suggest "testing of genomically characterized human cell populations may offer a broadly useful strategy for elucidating effects of genetic variation on infectious disease susceptibility."
Fast or Accurate?
November 06, 2009
Mass Genomics’ Dan Koboldt is part of the 1,000 Genomes Pilot 3 and the group is putting together a list of aligners to use. The aligners he suggested, Bowtie, Novoalign, and SHRiMP, were deemed not accurate enough, accurate but slow, and slow, respectively. And Kobolt says this points out “the key issue surrounding short read alignment for variant detection — finding the balance between speed and sensitivity.” “The ultimate short read aligner, in my opinion, would have Bowtie-like speed, Novoalign-like sensitivity, and the widespread community support that Maq enjoys,” he writes.