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Both genetic and physiological studies are contributing to our understanding of insect body size, a trait that affects fitness in many ways and is therefore subject to intense selection. Many of the genes that determine body size in insects have similar roles in mammals.
Combined with advances in immunology, genetic studies in human populations are revealing the diverse alterations in adaptive immunity that underlie autoimmune diseases. Recent studies have also highlighted an unexpected contribution of the innate immune system to these complex diseases.
DNA signature tags, also known as molecular barcodes, were first developed in bacteria to facilitate functional screens by identifying mutants in mixed populations. Adaptations and refinements of this technology have yielded a wealth of information on a broad range of biological processes.
Intense investigation of the laminopathies has revised the traditional structural view of the nuclear lamina, highlighting crucial roles in processes including gene regulation and differentiation. This research has also led to a range of promising therapies for these rare diseases.
How were hereditary traits understood before genetics emerged as a field? Insights from science, medicine and agriculture shaped thinking in this area, setting the scene for the crucial advances of Mendel and Darwin in the nineteenth century.
Using cancer as an example of complex disease, the authors revisit the evidence for the hypothesis that human diseases result from interactions between genetic variants and the environment.
New developments in genomics require changes in the policies of various government bodies to address the legal and ethical implications of genomics and prioritize research and educational needs. This article surveys the changes that have been and need to be made.
