The developmental signal that specifies the fates of cells at the anterior and posterior termini of the Drosophila embryo is transmitted by the torso receptor tyrosine kinase. This paper presents the results of a genetic interaction test for zygotic loci that act downstream of torso in the terminal genetic hierarchy. Tests of 26 zygotic mutants with defects in terminal development indicate that...

Duplicated sequences are substrates for the emergence of new genes and are an important source of genetic instability associated with rare and common disease. Analyses of primate genomes have shown an increase in the proportion of interspersed segmental duplications within the genomes of humans and great apes. This is in contrast to other mammalian genomes that appear to have their recently dup...

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We first compare the paradigm of the immunity-based system with other biological paradigm such as neural networks and genetic algorithm. We review studies of the immunity-based system dividing them into three classes: recognition/learning based on Jerne’s network, adaptation based on Edelman’s selection principle, and search/optimization based on Holland’s genetic algorithm. We also propose tha...

The problem of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens is a problem in genetic ecology. For the past half century, microbes have been exposed to enormous quantities of toxic agents (antibiotics) and they have survived. The principal survival strategy employed was the functional acquisition and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. It is apparent that the genetic mechanisms in...

Since Gregor Mendel discovered the gene, scientists have sought to unravel the intricacies of life’s blueprint—the genetic code. Today, insights into molecular biology and genetic engineering fuel biotechnology, an industry promising to touch every aspect of human life. Already, biotechnology has enabled major advances in medical therapeutics and diagnostics, and has spawned complex new fields ...

Fibromyalgia, a syndrome characterized by widespread pain and diffuse tenderness, is considered a multifactorial disorder. Central nervous system sensitization is a major pathophysiological aspect of fibromyalgia, while various external stimuli such as infection, trauma and stress may contribute to development of the syndrome. In addition, current evidence points towards the existence of a gene...

An important aspect of the QTL mapping problem is the treatment of missing genotype data. If complete genotype data were available, QTL mapping would reduce to the problem of model selection in linear regression. However, in the consideration of loci in the intervals between the available genetic markers, genotype data is inherently missing. Even at the typed genetic markers, genotype data is s...