Chromosome 4 News and Research

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Humans normally have 46 chromosomes in each cell, divided into 23 pairs. Two copies of chromosome 4, one copy inherited from each parent, form one of the pairs. Chromosome 4 spans more than 191 million DNA building blocks (base pairs) and represents more than 6 percent of the total DNA in cells.

Identifying genes on each chromosome is an active area of genetic research. Because researchers use different approaches to predict the number of genes on each chromosome, the estimated number of genes varies. Chromosome 4 likely contains between 1,300 and 1,600 genes.

Genes on chromosome 4 are among the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 total genes in the human genome.

SMPX gene mutation causes hereditary hearing impairment

Excessive noise is not the only thing that causes damage to hearing. In many cases, genetic factors are responsible for the loss of hearing at a young age. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin together with colleagues from Nijmegen have discovered a previously unknown genetic cause of progressive hearing impairment: the disease is caused by mutations of the SMPX gene, which is located on the X chromosome.

1 Jun 2011

Study finds novel site within MS4A gene cluster, confirms presence of SNP linked with Alzheimer's

Recently the number of genes known to be associated with Alzheimer's disease has increased from four to eight, including the MS4A gene cluster on chromosome 11.

31 May 2011

Lipidomic profiling can lead to better and earlier prediction of major diseases

Studying the genetic make-up of different varieties of lipids in the blood plasma of an individual can lead to a better and earlier prediction of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and heart disease, two researchers will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today.

30 May 2011

Karolinska researchers study four siblings affected by early-onset Alzheimer's disease

Four siblings in a family affected by early-onset Alzheimer's have been studied by a group of researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. This has been a unique opportunity to make comparative studies and to monitor the development of the disease over a prolonged period of time.

27 May 2011

New combination therapy eradicates acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, older adults

In a significant breakthrough, investigators at Weill Cornell Medical College and the University of California, San Francisco, have been able to overcome resistance of a form of leukemia to targeted therapy, demonstrating complete eradication of the cancer in cell and animal studies.

25 May 2011

Researchers devise new genetic technique for IVF embryos

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have devised a new technique, which helps couples that are affected by or are carriers of genetic diseases have in vitro fertilized babies free of both the disease in question and other chromosomal abnormalities. The results were reported in the April issue of Fertility and Sterility.

24 May 2011

Scientists mimic dyskeratosis congenita through study of undifferentiated iPS cells

A rare genetic disease called dyskeratosis congenita, caused by the rapid shortening of telomeres, can be mimicked through the study of undifferentiated induced pluripotent stem cells, according to new findings from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

24 May 2011

Some African descent men may have higher genetic risk of developing prostate cancer

Some men of African descent may have a higher genetic risk of developing prostate cancer, according to research conducted at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

24 May 2011

Scientists discover genetic regions that affect severity of cystic fibrosis

A team of international researchers, including Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, have discovered regions of the genome that affect the severity of the genetic disease cystic fibrosis, the most common lethal genetic disease affecting children in North America.

24 May 2011

New genetic testing technology for IVG embryos

23 May 2011

Researchers discover new genes that influence severity of cystic fibrosis

Johns Hopkins Institute for Genetic Medicine researchers working as part of the North American Cystic Fibrosis Consortium have discovered two regions of the genome that affect the severity of cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that causes scarring throughout the body, affecting most notably the pancreas and lungs.

23 May 2011

New research contributes to basic biological understanding of how retinas develop

New research at UC Santa Barbara is contributing to the basic biological understanding of how retinas develop. The study is part of the campus's expanding vision research.

21 May 2011

Bristol-Myers Squibb to present abstracts on oncology compounds at ASCO 2011 Annual Meeting

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a leading global BioPharma company in oncology, today announced that more than 95 scientific abstracts on its approved and investigational oncology compounds will be featured at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago from June 3-7.

21 May 2011

Salk Institute researchers receive $5.5M Program Project Grant to analyze Williams syndrome

A multi-institutional team headed by Ursula Bellugi, professor and director of the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, has been awarded a $5.5 million Program Project Grant by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to link social behavior to its underlying neurobiological and molecular genetic basis using Williams syndrome as a model.

21 May 2011

Scientists identify key protein behind drug-resistant leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is the most common form of childhood cancer. While most children treated for this disease survive, in a subgroup of patients the disease does not respond to treatment.

19 May 2011

Two genes linked to worst cases of esophageal cancer

University of Rochester Medical Center researchers have pinpointed two genes that are amplified in the worst cases of esophageal cancer, providing data to support a new investigational treatment that targets those same genes.

19 May 2011

Children exposed to maternal smoking in utero have increased DNA methylation in AXL gene

Children whose mothers or grandmothers smoked during pregnancy are at increased risk of asthma in childhood, but the underlying causes of this are not well understood. Now a new study indicates changes in a process called DNA methylation that occurs before birth may be a root cause.

19 May 2011

Common gene fault triggers a ripple of molecular signals leading to more aggressive cervical cancer

Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered that a common gene fault in cervical cancer cells triggers a ripple of molecular signals - which makes the disease more aggressive, according to research published in The Journal of Pathology.

19 May 2011

Early exposure to social deprivation and neglect linked to prematurely shortened telomeres in children

Studies in institutionalized Romanian children have found that the length of time spent in conditions of social deprivation and neglect correlates with lower IQ and behavioral problems. A new study, led by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Tulane University, shows that early adversity even affects children's chromosomes – prematurely shortening the chromosome tips, known as telomeres, and hastening how quickly their cells "age."

17 May 2011

PKC-delta enzyme critical for development of insulin resistance, diabetes and fatty liver

The road to type 2 diabetes is paved with insulin resistance, a condition often associated with obesity in which the hormone begins to fail at its job helping to convert sugars to energy.

17 May 2011

Chromosome 4 News and Research

Further Reading

SMPX gene mutation causes hereditary hearing impairment

Study finds novel site within MS4A gene cluster, confirms presence of SNP linked with Alzheimer's

Lipidomic profiling can lead to better and earlier prediction of major diseases

Karolinska researchers study four siblings affected by early-onset Alzheimer's disease

New combination therapy eradicates acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, older adults

Researchers devise new genetic technique for IVF embryos

Scientists mimic dyskeratosis congenita through study of undifferentiated iPS cells

Some African descent men may have higher genetic risk of developing prostate cancer

Scientists discover genetic regions that affect severity of cystic fibrosis

New genetic testing technology for IVG embryos

Researchers discover new genes that influence severity of cystic fibrosis

New research contributes to basic biological understanding of how retinas develop

Bristol-Myers Squibb to present abstracts on oncology compounds at ASCO 2011 Annual Meeting

Salk Institute researchers receive $5.5M Program Project Grant to analyze Williams syndrome

Scientists identify key protein behind drug-resistant leukemia

Two genes linked to worst cases of esophageal cancer

Children exposed to maternal smoking in utero have increased DNA methylation in AXL gene

Common gene fault triggers a ripple of molecular signals leading to more aggressive cervical cancer

Early exposure to social deprivation and neglect linked to prematurely shortened telomeres in children

PKC-delta enzyme critical for development of insulin resistance, diabetes and fatty liver

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