Connection Between Epigenome, Selective Mutability, Evolution, and Human Disease
Li, Harris et al., PLoS Genetics
Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and elsewhere propose a "connection between the epigenome, selective mutability, evolution, and human disease" based on the findings of their study on associations of structural mutability with germline DNA methylation and with non-allelic homologous recombination mediated by low-copy repeats. "Combined evidence from four human sperm methylome maps, human genome evolution, structural polymorphisms in the human population, and previous genomic and disease studies consistently points to a strong association of germline hypomethylation and genomic instability," the Baylor-led team writes.
Making Changes
October 28, 2009
Patent reform could be happening soon, writes Kevin Noonan at Patent Docs. At a meeting held by BIO, Joseph Matal, the Republican general counsel for the Senate judiciary committee, says the Senate will "reach a deal" on the patent reform bill and that the House of Representatives will then pass that bill this year or early next year. According to Noonan, Matal gave the odds as 70 to 80 percent and that the bill will be largely similar to S. 515. Noonan also outlines what is expected to be in the act.