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osu! Tsunamaru - Daidai Genome [Insane][B]
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osu! Tsunamaru - Daidai Genome [Insane][B] - Video

NVIDIA GPUshave been used to uncover the inner workings of the human genome, finding that it works in folds in the same way as origami.

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, MIT and Harvard University said they used the graphics processors to map in unprecedented detail how the human genome folds.

This new information might provide new clues for cell function as well as new approaches to combat cancer and other complex diseases, Nvidia said.

Led by Erez Aiden, assistant professor of genetics at Baylor and assistant professor of computer science and computational and applied mathematics at Rice, the project found that the human genome is folded into around 10,000 loops.

These loops form when two widely separated bits of DNA come into contact in the folded version of the genome in a cell's nucleus.

The researchers learned that these loops and other genome folding patterns are an essential part of genetic regulation.

Genes can be switched on or off just by folding the genome into different shapes, allowing cells to take on a wide range of functions.

The research team relied on high-performance computer clusters and custom algorithms via the Nvidia GPUs to analyse large quantities of genome data.

"We faced a real challenge because we were asking how each of the millions of pieces of DNA in the database interact with each of the other millions of pieces," said Miriam Huntley, a doctoral student at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

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Nvidia GPUs could help combat cancer in human genome research

Consumer doggie DNA testing is old hat at this point, having been around since 2007. But cat-lovers who wish to decipher their pets breed are out of luck no such tests exist for felines.

That fact reflects the state of the underlying science. Since the first full dog genome was sequenced ten years ago, geneticists have identified hundreds of genes behind canine diseases and physical traits. By comparison, just a handful of such genes have been identified in cats.

But a group of geneticists is working to close this gap by sequencing 99 domestic cats. This week the researchers unveiled the first results from their 99 Lives initiative.

In 2007, the first cat genome sequenced was that of an Abyssinian named Cinnamon. However, errors and gaps in the data stalled efforts to map genes, and the complete, high-resolution genome wasnt published until 2014. Cinnamons genome taught us that domestic cats arent vastly different than their wild counterparts, despite 9,000 years of domestication.

Dogs have been the clear favorite of geneticists because they suffer from many of the same ailments as humans and their intensive inbreeding makes it easy to spot gene variations. Further, according to Nature, dogs also benefit from a bloc of enthusiastic breeders, veterinarians and owners who make recruiting easy for dog geneticists.

To balance the scales, geneticist Leslie Lyons of the University of Missouri launched the 99 Lives initiative. Its goals are simple: to expand coverage of the cat genome, improve the quality of data and identify genetic variations behind specific feline diseases.

But humans could also be beneficiaries of the research. According to Nature, Cat versions of type 2 diabetes, asthma, retinal atrophy and numerous other conditions have close similarities to human disease. Cats can also become infected with a virus that is closely related to HIV and experience symptoms similar to those of people with AIDS.

To date, Lyons team has sequenced the genomes of 56 cats at a cost of roughly $7,500 apiece. Funding for the research has been raised through donations from breeders and private owners alike. Currently, her team is studying the genetic basis of feline dwarfism and the genes that give cats silver or gold coats, to name a few.

You can help further cat genome researcher through donations, or collecting DNA samples from your own feline friends. You can learn how to participate by visiting Lyons website.

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Cats Are Finally Getting Geneticists' Attention

Juicebox VR creates a virtual reality representation of data generated by the Hi-C method for three-dimensional genome sequencing. Every 2D position in the landscape corresponds to a pair of 1D positions, or loci, in the three-billion-letter-long human genome. The height at the 2D position represents how often the two loci are in contact in the nucleus of a cell.Since nearby loci frequently bump into one another, a massive 'wall' of short-range contacts bisects the landscape. Square plateaus coming off the diagonal correspond to condensed genomic domains, called contact domains. Peaks in the landscape correspond to loops in the genome. Contact domains are often demarcated by loops, which is why the square domains frequently have peaks in their corner.The controller will fly in whichever direction you look. Look straight up for a super jump.Juicebox VR was created by Muhammad Shamim, Ido Machol, and Erez Lieberman Aiden.The data is drawn from:Suhas Rao*, Miriam Huntley*, Neva C. Durand, Elena Stamenova, Ivan Bochkov, Jim Robinson, Adrian Sanborn, Ido Machol, Arina Omer, Eric Lander and Erez Lieberman Aiden. A 3D Map of the Human Genome at Kilobase Resolution Reveals Principles of Chromatin Looping, Cell (2014).* contributed equallyNote that the data used to generate the landscape is an extremely tiny region from a full, genome-wide map. The full contact map for the human genome is a trillion times larger than this map.Learn more about our work at http://www.aidenlab.org.Music: Ascent by StellardroneIMPORTANT: To properly view the app, a Virtual Reality headset, such as Google Cardboard, Durovis Dive, or Samsung Gear VR should be used.Content rating: Everyone

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Juicebox VR