Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells

#1

Post by echair » Tue, Oct 27, 2009, 10:01 PM UTC

Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells
eurekalert.org

Re: Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells

#2

Post by sfnhltb » Wed, Oct 28, 2009, 12:35 AM UTC

This sort of thing makes you wonder about how valuable protecting biodiversity is - how easily one of the hundreds of thousands of species being wiped out could be critical in allowing us to find out some key potential understanding of how DNA can work, which otherwise it could take us centuries to uncover without a natural example to start from.

Re: Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells

#3

Post by sown » Wed, Oct 28, 2009, 2:11 AM UTC

sfnhltb wrote: post #2

This sort of thing makes you wonder about how valuable protecting biodiversity is - how easily one of the hundreds of thousands of species being wiped out could be critical in allowing us to find out some key potential understanding of how DNA can work, which otherwise it could take us centuries to uncover without a natural example to start from.

If it doesn't help next quarter's or Fiscal year's numbers then I think most people don't care. :(

Re: Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells

#4

Post by geuis » Wed, Oct 28, 2009, 2:26 AM UTC

Little tip from the future: engineer a mouse to express the same gene. 2 things happen, 1) the mouse doesn't get cancer and 2) be amazed at how long the mouse lives....

Re: Scientists discover gene that 'cancer-proofs' rodent's cells

#5

Post by joeycfan » Thu, Oct 29, 2009, 2:35 AM UTC

I worry about this sort of thing - the entire genome is so non orthogonal, there is no telling that other effects this thing has.