Category Archives: Transhuman News

Who owns the genome of a cow? That is, the complete genetic material encoded in the DNA of the animal.

That's the basis of hearing underway this week before the Federal Court in Melbourne.

In 2010, the Australian Patent Office granted a patent titled 'Compositions, methods and systems for inferring bovine traits', to commodities giant Cargill USA and Branhaven LLC.

When Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) found out about the patent early last year it launched an appeal along with Dairy Australia.

MLA believes the patent's broad claims potentially mean it extends to around two thirds of the bovine genome, including almost every economically valuable trait, such as beef tenderness, marbling in meat, and milk production.

It has raised serious concern at MLA and Dairy Australia because the two organisations invest a significant amount of their levy payers' money into cattle research, with an increasing focus on genomics.

The organisations believe the patent will maintain the high price of genomic testing for beef and dairy farmers, while also having a chilling effect on Australian research into cattle genomics.

Barrister Katrina Howard SC, on behalf of MLA, argued before Justice Jonathan Beach on Monday that the claims in the patent granted to Cargill USA and Branhaven LLC used scientific and statistical tools that would have been well known and understood by a person skilled in genomic mapping at the patent's priority date, 2003.

But on Tuesday, Branhaven's legal counsel argued the methods used to identify these traits had never been used at the time of the patent's priority date, that they were theoretical at the time, and their significant investment in applying them and identifying the traits represents a real invention.

Two years ago, the High Court unanimously ruled a patent could not be granted over genetic information, because it is a discovery of nature, not an invention.

Cargill Australia is not defending MLA's appeal, but the USA-based parent company is the joint owner of the patent. In the courtroom this week, only Branhaven's legal representatives are fighting the appeal.

Information about Branhaven is sparse, but in joint press releases with Cargill USA, it is described as a "private holding company focused on acquiring companies with strong intellectual properties".

Today the court will hear evidence from a panel of expert geneticists from Australia and the USA, who'll give evidence in a 'hot tub', or concurrent style.

The hearing will run until Thursday with a decision to be handed down later.

See the original post:
Legal fight over cattle genome underway in Melbourne's Federal Court - ABC Online

May 16, 2017 Credit: Harry Taylor, Natural History Museum

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are part of an international team which has been working to better understand the biology of a snail species that transmits a disease infecting 200 million people, killing around 200,000 each year in developing countries.

Schistosomiasis, also known as 'snail fever' or bilharzia, ranks second only to malaria in impact of a parasitic disease on human global health. It is caused by parasites (schistosomes) contracted from tropical freshwater snails, the most significant of which is 'Biomphalaria glabrata', subject of the large scale genome study published in Nature Communications this week.

The consortium led by the University of New Mexico, is made up of over 100 academics from across Europe, the USA, Africa and Australia. The UK consortium consists of scientists from the universities of Aberdeen, Aberystwyth, Brunel, Kingston, Westminster, the Natural History Museum, London (WHO Collaborating Centre), and the European Bioinformatics Institute.

Scientists have identified a number of crucial processes in the snail's biology that is helping them to understand how it transmits this lethal parasite, enabling them to uncover new ways to potentially stop transmission.

The Aberdeen University team, led by Dr Catherine Jones (who represents the UK consortium on the international steering committee), Dr Les Noble and Dr Anne Lockyer, working in collaboration with colleagues at Brunel University, are largely concerned with characterising snail genes which, amongst other functions, detoxify mollusc pesticides and control reproductive processes.

This information promises new control strategies; for example, design of novel selective pesticides which inhibit specific detoxification genes which may allow targeting of only this species of freshwater snail.

Conventional mollusc pesticides have a broad spectrum effect, also killing fish and other aquatic life crucial to maintain the healthy ecosystems on which local people are dependent.

Additionally, the increased knowledge of genes involved in snail reproduction could allow development of strategies which disrupt egg production and so limit numbers.

Dr Jones, from the University's School of Biological Sciences, said: "This disease is a gigantic problem for global health killing around 200,000 people each year and blighting the lives of millions more. Children are particularly susceptible to the disease, as they tend to be in closer contact with water infected by the parasite.

"Our team and the wider international consortium have for the first time analysed the entire genetic make up of this nuisance species, and as a result now have a much better understanding of this snail's biology, and how they transmit the disease.

"Going forward, we can suggest specific strategies which could be explored further with a view to, hopefully, reducing transmission of schistosomiasis, helping the World Health Organisation in its aim to eliminate this disease by 2025."

Explore further: New protein could be key in fighting debilitating parasitic disease

More information: Coen M. Adema et al. Whole genome analysis of a schistosomiasis-transmitting freshwater snail, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15451

A naturally occurring protein has been discovered that shows promise as a biocontrol weapon against schistosomiasis, one of the world's most prevalent parasitic diseases, Oregon State University researchers reported today ...

Large-scale programmes to treat a life-threatening disease could improve the health of millions despite concerns about their long-term effects, a study suggests.

Schistosomiasis (also known as snail fever) affects more than 250 million people worldwide. Individuals become infected after skin contact with the schistosome parasite in contaminated water, and, without treatment, experience ...

Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered a group of genes in one species of snail that provide a natural resistance to the flatworm parasite that causes schistosomiasis, and opens the door to possible new drugs ...

In the late 1970s, a new drug held the promise of wiping out a disease that currently affects more than 250 million people. Nearly 40 years later, the drug, praziquantel, has yet to make a dent in the global burden of schistosomiasis, ...

(Medical Xpress) -- Infections from certain parasites can compromise the immune system, leaving it less able to fight other diseases.

Large families and strong social ties help animals live longer, new research suggests.

The beginnings of agriculture changed human history and has fascinated scientists for centuries.

Clocks and calendars, sports scores and stock-market tickers - our society is saturated with numbers. One of the first things we teach our children is to count, just as we teach them their ABCs. But is this evidence of a ...

Human teeth evolved from the same genes that make the bizarre beaked teeth of the pufferfish, according to new research by an international team of scientists.

Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are part of an international team which has been working to better understand the biology of a snail species that transmits a disease infecting 200 million people, killing around ...

Findings of a new study solve a key mystery about the chemistry of how plants tell time so they can flower and metabolize nutrients.

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Understanding the chemical commerce of this species, the species-specific pheromones it produces for various life needs, would enable their use in eliminating this beautiful snail. Remember that pheromones are both species specific and synergistic (not unlike fish oil benefits).

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Scientists decode genome of deadly tropical snail - Phys.Org

Q. How do you view the relationship between history and theology when it comes to Adams existence, his sin, the Fall etc.?

A. I am purposefully ambiguous if not agnostic because I cant make up my mind on the basis of the Bible. There are elements in the Bible the genealogies for instance that suggest a real man and historical person. There are other elements in Gen 1-3, like a talking snake, a man named Dusty and a woman named Momma of all Living Beings that sound like ANE stories in some ways. The genre, as you know, of Gen 1-11 is a much debated question but after reading the discussions I simply dont know what to decide. I see the text functioning as a revelation of the vocation of Adam and Eve in this world; I see it telling us that humans are exiled for their sins; I see it telling us that Adam and Eves sin followed by a murdering son; these are what I see. As such, I side with the many Jewish texts that inform us Adam was seen as a moral archetypal human who was told how to live before God and chose not to. I dont oppose original sin etc but Im unconvinced anyone in the Bible explicitly teaches it. Im not Eastern and Im not Western; Im convinced that Adam and Eve sinned and Im convinced the Bible says we are sinners and need redemption.

Q. In evaluating the genetics arguments in the first half of the book, if you were to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the argument of Dennis Venema from a Biblical and theological point of view, what would you say?

A. Nothing, I like what Dennis wrote.

See the rest here:
Adam and the Genome The Dialogue Part Three - Patheos (blog)

MSUToday

$1.5M NSF grant to explore secrets of electric fish genome MSUToday Electric fish have been a model biology system since the 18th century. Their potential, though, has been mostly isolated to neurological studies. Thanks to the recent availability of electric fish genome sequences, Michigan State University researchers ... and more »

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$1.5M NSF grant to explore secrets of electric fish genome - MSUToday