| | After another long hiatus, I found something to blog about.
Well, I'm in the last quarter of my Master's program and needless to say, I didn't have much of a summer break. Summer was rather bland, hence the lack of updates (nothing to update about). I've just been preparing for GREs, doing lab work, working on my thesis, and TAing. Life has been rather insipid and mundane but I guess I'm at the point where I just need to be patient.
Okay, now on to the real reason for this update. So in July, scientists in Osaka, Japan have discovered a new gene/protein in the eye responsible for retina ribbon synapse formation. In layman terms, it's a cellular neuron junction that allows for vision signals to the brain. So without that new protein around, you end up with altered visual function. Guess what the name of the new protein is called? pikachurin. Yup, named after Pikachu from Pokemon. I guess the logic is the protein assists in delivering neuronal electrical signals just like the electric mouse.
Here's the abstract to the actual paper: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v11/n8/abs/nn.2160.html
This actually isn't the first protein to have a video game character name. There's been a gene called sonic hedgehog thats been known for producing a protein responsible for regulating the growth of limbs (the limb growth looks like a "hedgehog"). Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_hedgehog
There was also a gene called "pokemon," which was elucidated as a master switch for cancer evolution, but the name was dropped because Nintendo didn't want the name Pokemon to be associated with a gene responsible for causing cancer. Now the gene has been renamed Zbtb7. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zbtb7
Anyway, I thought these names are an interesting juxtaposition of sorts. Scientist are given the right to name the gene/protein they discover whatever they want. The problem with these "fun" names is the fact that if a mutation in these genes causes a disease, it will be really awkward to diagnose. Can you imagine a doctor saying, "I'm sorry but you have cancer. The cause is a mutation in your sonic hedgehog gene."
Okay, back to studying. Blogging will again be sporatic.
じゃね
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| | Posted 9/26/2008 5:20 PM - 4 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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