Monkeypox virus is a zoonotic virus endemic to Central Africa. Although active disease surveillance has assessed monkeypox disease prevalence and geographic range, information about virus diversity is lacking. We therefore assessed genome diversity of viruses in 60 samples obtained from humans with primary and secondary cases of infection from 2005 through 2007. We detected 4 distinct lineages and a deletion that resulted in gene loss in 10 (16.7%) samples and that seemed to correlate with human-to-human transmission (p = 0.0544). The data suggest a high frequency of spillover events from the pool of viruses in nonhuman animals, active selection through genomic destabilization and gene loss, and increased disease transmissibility and severity. The potential for accelerated adaptation to humans should be monitored through improved surveillance.
In: Twin research and human genetics: the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS) and the Human Genetics Society of Australasia, Band 15, Heft 5, S. 615-623
Recent Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have identified four low-penetrance ovarian cancer susceptibility loci. We hypothesized that further moderate- or low-penetrance variants exist among the subset of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) not well tagged by the genotyping arrays used in the previous studies, which would account for some of the remaining risk. We therefore conducted a time- and cost-effective stage 1 GWAS on 342 invasive serous cases and 643 controls genotyped on pooled DNA using the high-density Illumina 1M-Duo array. We followed up 20 of the most significantly associated SNPs, which are not well tagged by the lower density arrays used by the published GWAS, and genotyping them on individual DNA. Most of the top 20 SNPs were clearly validated by individually genotyping the samples used in the pools. However, none of the 20 SNPs replicated when tested for association in a much larger stage 2 set of 4,651 cases and 6,966 controls from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. Given that most of the top 20 SNPs from pooling were validated in the same samples by individual genotyping, the lack of replication is likely to be due to the relatively small sample size in our stage 1 GWAS rather than due to problems with the pooling approach. We conclude that there are unlikely to be any moderate or large effects on ovarian cancer risk untagged by less dense arrays. However, our study lacked power to make clear statements on the existence of hitherto untagged small-effect variants.
In 2019, the Russian-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition discovered the first stratified Mesolithic site in Eastern Kazakhstan — the Karasai site. The site is located in the mid-mountain part of the Shilikta Valley, about 1500 m asl. In the course of excavations a rich cultural layer (layer 2) with numerous artifacts of the Early Holocene age was recorded. The industry includes elements of all stages of lithic production, and the typological features of the primary knapping and the tool kit correspond to the Mesolithic time. This chronological characteristic is confirmed by a series of AMS- and OSL- dates in the range of 12000—9000 cal BP. The Karasai industry has a similarity with the complexes of the initial Holocene without geometric microliths in the Northern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia.
Platelets are anuclear cells that are essential for blood clotting. They are produced by large polyploid precursor cells called megakaryocytes. Previous genome-wide association studies in nearly 70,000 individuals indicated that single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the gene encoding the actin cytoskeletal regulator tropomyosin 4 (TPM4) exert an effect on the count and volume of platelets. Platelet number and volume are independent risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Here, we have identified 2 unrelated families in the BRIDGE Bleeding and Platelet Disorders (BPD) collection who carry a TPM4 variant that causes truncation of the TPM4 protein and segregates with macrothrombocytopenia, a disorder characterized by low platelet count. N-Ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced (ENU-induced) missense mutations in Tpm4 or targeted inactivation of the Tpm4 locus led to gene dosage-dependent macrothrombocytopenia in mice. All other blood cell counts in Tpm4-deficient mice were normal. Insufficient TPM4 expression in human and mouse megakaryocytes resulted in a defect in the terminal stages of platelet production and had a mild effect on platelet function. Together, our findings demonstrate a nonredundant role for TPM4 in platelet biogenesis in humans and mice and reveal that truncating variants in TPM4 cause a previously undescribed dominant Mendelian platelet disorder. ; The research participants were enrolled in the Biomedical Research Centres/Units Inherited Diseases Genetic Evaluation (BRIDGE) Bleeding and Platelet Disorders (BPD) study (UK REC10/H0304/66). We are grateful to all the donors who allowed us to use their samples for this study. We thank Sofia Papadia from the NIHR BioResource for organizing the recalls of BRIDGE-BPD participants. The genome sequencing of the BRIDGE-BPD participants was supported by the NIHR BioResource–Rare Diseases (to ET, KD, and WHO). The NIHR BioResource–Rare Diseases is responsible for the delivery of the rare diseases pilot phase of the 100,000 Genomes Project and is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR; http://www.nihr.ac.uk). Research in the Ouwehand laboratory also receives funding support from the European Commission, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (MRC), and British Heart Foundation under numbers RP-PG-0310-1002 and RG/09/12/28096. SKW is supported by an MRC Clinical Training Fellowship (MR/K023489/1). ADM receives support from the Bristol NIHR Biomedical Research Unit for Cardiovascular Disease. This work was supported by a Project Grant (no. 575535), a Program Grant (no. 1016647), a Fellowship (1063008 to BTK and 1058344 to WSA), Project Grants (to PWG and ECH), and an Independent Research Institutes Infrastructure Support Scheme Grant (no. 361646) from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council; a fellowship from the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Foundation (to BTK); a start-up grant, a fellowship, and a grant from the German Research Foundation (SFB 688, PL707/1-1 and PL707/2-1 to IP); the Kids' Cancer Project (to PWG); a Fellowship from the European Hematology Association (to MRT) and the British Heart Foundation (PG/13/77/30375 to MRT); NHS Blood and Transplant (to WHO and MRT); the Australian Cancer Research Fund; and a Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support Grant.
To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Download ; Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy, affecting both maternal and fetal health. In genome-wide association meta-analysis of European and Central Asian mothers, we identify sequence variants that associate with preeclampsia in the maternal genome at ZNF831/20q13 and FTO/16q12. These are previously established variants for blood pressure (BP) and the FTO variant has also been associated with body mass index (BMI). Further analysis of BP variants establishes that variants at MECOM/3q26, FGF5/4q21 and SH2B3/12q24 also associate with preeclampsia through the maternal genome. We further show that a polygenic risk score for hypertension associates with preeclampsia. However, comparison with gestational hypertension indicates that additional factors modify the risk of preeclampsia. ; European Union (EU) Wellcome Trust
In: Professional Competency of Modern Specialist: Means of Formation, Development and Improvement: Monograph. Warsaw: Bmt Erida Sp .z O.o., 2018, P. 424. Isbn 978-83-950153-6-6
Funding Information: Research leading to these results was conducted as part of the InterPregGen study, which received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement no. 282540 and was supported by Wellcome Trust grant 098051. Some data used for the research were obtained from THL Biobank. We thank all study participants for their generous participation at THL Biobank. Part of this work was conducted using the UK Biobank Resource under application number 24711. A full list of acknowledgments appears in Supplementary Note 3. ; Peer reviewed ; Publisher PDF
In: Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium Agricultural Economics and Rural Development - Realities and perspectives for Romania 19 November, Band 2020, Heft Bucharest
