A study has revealed how human genes interact with their environment to boost disease risk. This finding sheds light on why the search for specific gene variants linked to human diseases can only partly explain common disorders.
Genes and environmental factors influence common human diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Most research, however, has focused on unraveling the genetic component of disease risk while ignoring the effect of environmental stimuli.
Unlike earlier studies that focused on a single gene, the researchers scrutinized the activity of thousands of human genes both at rest and under stress. In particular, the scientists zeroed in on gene expression — the process by which a gene’s DNA sequence is converted into cellular proteins.
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Chapter: Health :: 15 April 2010
