The Top Ten lists in Biology feature papers published during the year
2008 (excluding review articles) that were most cited in current
journal articles indexed by
Thomson Reuters
during a recent two-month period. Papers are ranked according to the
latest bimonthly citation count. The articles below are accompanied by
expert discussion and analysis (including comments from the
papers’ authors) written by Jeremy Cherfas, veteran
scientist-journalist and longtime ScienceWatch.com
contributor.
Newfound Lands Added to the Genomic Atlas
by Jeremy Cherfas
A Nature paper reports on the use of single-molecule-based
sequencing technology in the creation of genome-wide maps to study
the DNA-protein complex known as chromatin and its effects on the
regulation and differentiation of cells. The paper details the
various gene promoters and markers that influence differentiation
and other developmental processes in embryonic stem cells,
embryonic fibroblasts, and other cell types.
View Article
HapMap, The Next Generation: More SNPs, More
Insights
by Jeremy Cherfas
The second-generation of the haplotype map known as HapMap details
more than 3.1 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs,
which are differences in a single letter of DNA. This udpated
HapMap has considerably aided the search for specific genetic
sequences associated with cancer and other conditions, in addition
to pointing the way toward possible therapies.
View Article
Reprogramming Adult Cells Into Stem-Cell-Like
State
by Jeremy Cherfas
Three separate teams of biologists succeeded in effectively
reprogramming adult cells to serve as pluripotent stem cells, which
are then able to differentiate into any cell type. This method of
creating stem cells without the need for embryonic tissue offers
enormous therapeutic potential for creating new tissue from a
patient’s own cells.
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ENCODE Project: Junking the Idea of Junk DNA
by Jeremy Cherfas
The pilot study for the ENCODE Project, an encyclopedic study of
variation in the human genome, has already produced evidence that
supposedly non-coding regions of genetic material, previously
dubbed ‘junk DNA,’ actually possess complex properties
whose role in gene function and evolutionary conservation remains
to be elucidated.
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In MicroRNA Research, Silence is Looking Golden
by Jeremy Cherfas
Research into the strands of microRNA (miRNA) has clarified the
role that these molecules play in gene expression and other aspects
of cellular function. In particular, miRNA has been implicated in
diseases such as cancer, hepatitis, and diabetes. A research team
developed so-called ‘antagomirs’ to silence miRNA,
helping to elucidate miRNA’s role in cell differentiation and
other processes.
View Article
Tireless Research Hints at Boost for Tuckered T
Cells
by Jeremy Cherfas
A study of CD8 T cells of the immune system during infection has
indicated that blocking the action of certain proteins may prevent the
T cells from becoming exhausted and ineffective, raising hope for
treatment of such chronic infections as HIV and hepatitis.
View Article
