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."
Phase 2 of 2D Gel Reproducibility Effort Yields 'Significant' Confidence Levels
In the second phase, 10 of 17 labs were able to generate gel images that fell within a 95-percent confidence level in an inter-laboratory study. As a result, the methods developed in both phases of the campaign, called Fixing Proteomics, now serve as standards by which proteomics researchers using 2D gels can benchmark themselves.
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