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MicroRNAs are post-transcriptional regulatory molecules that control many developmental and cellular processes. Recent studies have revealed that microRNAs themselves are subject to sophisticated control at various levels, including biogenesis, function and decay. Such regulation greatly contributes to the specific functions of microRNAs.
Are humans evolving? Applying evolutionary biology tools to large-scale medical and epidemiological data sets shows that traits in many human populations are experiencing natural selection and have the genetic potential to respond to it.
Evolutionary developmental biology is being advanced by quantitative methods for studying morphology. This Review considers such approaches and emerging insights into interactions between genetic and non-genetic factors, as well as the evolutionary constraints that influence shape.
Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) are versatile tools for making precise modifications to genomes, and their use is now established in a range of model systems. ZFNs are also showing potential in human gene therapy, and several clinical trials are underway.
This Review describes the different types of computational environments — such as cloud and heterogeneous computing — that are increasingly being used by life scientists to manage and analyse large multidimensional data sets.
The generation of transgenic non-human primates provides a potential means to understand the genetic differences that distinguish humans from our nearest evolutionary relatives. However, the same features that make non-human primates good models for such research also raise serious ethical concerns.
