Cholesterol gene discovered

US researchers have found that a recently discovered gene regulates HDL (high density lipoproteins) cholesterol, also known as 'good' cholesterol. The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could lead to new therapies for heart disease, said lead author Dr Thomas Quertermous.
"This is a significant and unexpected finding, and the gene is going to be a real target for the prevention and treatment of heart disease," said Quertermous, the William G. Irwin Professor and chief of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "This type of thing doesn't happen every day."

HDL cholesterol, often referred to as the 'good' cholesterol, has been proven to impact a person's risk of developing heart disease. "HDL cholesterol is an independent predictor of one's risk," said Quertermous. "If you have a high level of HDL cholesterol your chance of getting heart disease is very low."

Researchers know that levels of HDL cholesterol are regulated in part by members of the lipase gene family. Three years ago, Quertermous' team and a laboratory on the east coast simultaneously discovered the newest member of that family and found that its protein was expressed in a variety of tissues. Subsequent studies showed that the new gene - the endothelial lipase gene (LIPG) - played a role in lipid metabolism.

"It was a striking, if not dramatic, finding that this gene that we found in the blood vessel walls appeared to regulate HDL cholesterol levels," said Quertermous.

Quertermous' team sought to examine the gene's exact role in regulating HDL cholesterol level by examining genetic models with altered levels of endothelial lipase (EL) expression. Working with mouse models, the researchers increased EL expression in one group by inserting copies of the human gene and decreased EL expression by knocking out the LIPG gene in another group.

Quertermous reports that the findings were striking: altering the genes showed a clear and significant inverse relationship between HDL cholesterol level and EL expression. Levels of HDL cholesterol decreased by 19 per cent in the first group and increased by 57 per cent in the group whose gene was knocked out.

"When we overexpressed the human gene in the mice, the HDL cholesterol levels dropped," said Quertermous. "Conversely, when we knocked out the gene in mice, the levels were much higher."

Quertermous said that his team lacks insight into the mechanism by which EL impacts HDL cholesterol levels, and that this is something his team will explore. The group will also further study mouse models, and a group of human patients, to see if changes in HDL cholesterol levels directly correlate with heart disease. "My hypothesis - and strong suspicion - is that if you knock out the gene, your chance of disease development is decreased," said Quertermous.

Quertermous said a greater understanding of this gene's role in HDL cholesterol's formation and metabolism will help researchers regulate this risk factor.

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LEWIN BENJAMIN , GENES 8
Prentice-Hall | ISBN 0131239244 | Edition 8 | PDF | 67Mb
For courses in Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, and Gene Regulation. Two decades ago Benjamin Lewin's Genes revolutionized the teaching of molecular biology and molecular genetics by introducing a unified approach to bacteria and higher organisms. Genes has remained at the cutting edge of molecular biology, covering gene structure, organization, and expression. Originally the text opened with the genetic code and worked toward genome structure. Genes VIII changed the approach to begin with the sequence of the human and other genomes and starts with complete coverage of recent advances in genomics. The coverage of genomics is then integrated throughout the text. In striving to maintain currency, the new edition has updated coverage on genome organization, DNA replication, gene regulation and many other new topics.

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Biotechnology, 2nd Edition, Volume 9: Enzymes, Biomass, Food and Feed by Gerald Reed, Tilak W. Nagodawithana
Wiley-VCH | 1996 | ISBN: 3527283196 | 804 pages | PDF | 56.8 MB

This volume examines the classical aspects of biotechnology: the application of biological principles for the purpose of converting foodstuffs into more palatable, nutritious or stable foods.
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Description: Revised and updated to reflect the latest research and advances available, Food Biotechnology, Second Edition demonstrates the effect that biotechnology has on food production and processing. It is an authoritative and exhaustive compilation that discusses the bioconversion of raw food materials to processed products, the improvement of food quality, the importance of food safety, the design of ingredients for functional foods, and the biochemical advances made in traditional fermentation. It also provides an international perspective on the discipline as a whole. The content of the book is divided into three sections for easy reference. The first section provides an overview of the basic principles and explains microbial applications. The next section explains plant tissue culture techniques, genetic engineering of plants and animals, functional food ingredients and their health benefits, probiotics, antibody production for oral vaccines, and topics on enzyme technologies. The final section discusses food safety issues and the various bio-processing and fermentation biotechnologies used throughout the world. Food Biotechnology, Second Edition is an indispensable guide for anyone who needs to understand the latest information on foodproduction and processing from a biotechnology perspective.

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A universal landmark in medicine ever since Drs. Henry Gray and H.V. Carter published the first edition in 1858, Gray's Anatomy now celebrates its 150th anniversary! From state-of-the-art coverage of important new areas such as functional neuroimaging, embryogenesis, and biomechanics . . . through a comprehensively revamped, lavish full-color art program . . . as well as convenient access to the complete contents online, with downloadable illustrations, the new 40th Edition sets a new world standard for accuracy, clarity, and clinical relevance. It is THE place to turn when you want to be sure about the anatomical considerations that pertain to safe and effective practice. You'll find it an invaluable clinical resource, a pleasure to consult, and a reference that you'll be proud to have on your shelf. 

Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 7th edition

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It is hard to imagine a pathologist, whether a trainee or consultant, who would not benefit from reading or at least referring to this book. Most older pathologists will possess earlier editions as Robbins has been a standard text for many years. This seventh edition represents the evolution of the best single volume textbook on general pathology and the editors are to be congratulated in having resisted the temptation to overturn the book's familiar order in the name of innovation. Instead, they have sympathetically expanded the text, which now includes a phenomenal amount of information. A particularly welcome development is the chapter on ocular pathology for the generalist and the reorganization of the chapter on infectious diseases taxonomically. The book has a very broad appeal: it could be read with profit by consultant pathologists, but is still suitable as an undergraduate text for medical students, as it starts from first principles and extends to the limits of knowledge. Robbins will remain the book of choice for diligent students, who will be inspired by the thorough scientific grounding in pathology that it provides. UK universities that believe this factual knowledge to be redundant should consider the popularity of Robbins in the US, and with practicing diagnostic pathologists in the UK, and think again.

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Description: Written as a practical introduction to biogas plant design and operation, this book fills a huge gap by presenting a systematic guide to this emerging technology — information otherwise only available in poorly intelligible reports by US governmental and other official agencies. The author draws on teaching material from a university course as well as a wide variety of industrial biogas projects he has been involved with, thus combining didactical skill with real-life examples. Alongside biological and technical aspects of biogas generation, this timely work also looks at safety and legal aspects as well as environmental considerations.