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The rise of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) studies has opened new possibilities for studying past environments. This groundbreaking area of genomics uses sediments to identify organisms, even in cases where macroscopic remains no longer exist. Managing this substrate in Indigenous Australian contexts, however, requires special considerations. Sediments and soils are often considered as waste by-products during archaeological and paleontological excavations and are not typically regulated by the same ethics guidelines utilised in mainstream 'western' research paradigms.
The Australian Genomics Cardiovascular Disorders Flagship was a national multidisciplinary collaboration. It aimed to investigate the feasibility of genome sequencing and functional genomics to resolve variants of uncertain significance in the clinical management of patients and families with cardiomyopathies, primary arrhythmias, and congenital heart disease.
Genomic sequencing in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients often discovers novel genetic variants, which are classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Functional analysis of each VUS is required in specialised laboratories, to determine whether the VUS is disease causative or not, leading to lengthy diagnostic delays.
Genomic information is increasingly used to inform medical treatments and manage future disease risks. However, any personal and societal gains must be carefully balanced against the risk to individuals contributing their genomic data. Expanding our understanding of actionable genomic insights requires researchers to access large global datasets to capture the complexity of genomic contribution to diseases.
The goal of this study was to understand individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) and their family's attitudes and preferences to genomic research, including international data sharing and biobanking.
Mitochondrial energy metabolism plays an important role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance. Recently, a missense N437S variant was identified in the MRPP3 gene, which encodes a mitochondrial RNA processing enzyme within the RNase P complex, with predicted impact on metabolism. We used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to introduce this variant into the mouse Mrpp3 gene and show that the variant causes insulin resistance on a high-fat diet.
A new national network will be established to advance the benefits from Genomic Medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Australia.
Scientific discoveries over the past 30 years mean doctors now have a deeper understanding of what causes disease and how those diseases might progress.
The genetic code that specifies the identity of amino acids incorporated into proteins during protein synthesis is almost universally conserved. Mitochondrial genomes feature deviations from the standard genetic code, including the reassignment of two arginine codons to stop codons.
The number of tRNA isodecoders has increased dramatically in mammals, but the specific molecular and physiological reasons for this expansion remain elusive. To address this fundamental question we used CRISPR editing to knockout the seven-membered phenylalanine tRNA gene family in mice, both individually and combinatorially.