Press Release - What protects us from radiation? Some answers are found.

["Fitzgerald.Bill" <fitzger5@niehs.nih.gov>]

> "A novel search  of 3,760 "nonessential" yeast genes has revealed 

> 107 new genes that may determine how we resist, or are hurt by, 

> radiation -- and whether we succumb to, or survive, cancer.  

> 

> 	More than tripling the number of mutant genes known to 

> influence radiation damage, the work was carried out at the 

> National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and reported 

> today in the journal Nature Genetics.    Previously, fewer than 30 

> such genes were known.  

> 

> 	"Most of the newly characterized mutant genes not only 

> protect against gamma radiation but provide resistance to other 

> damaging agents, such as ultraviolet light and  the commonly used 

> anti-cancer drugs bleomycin and camptothecin," the two senior 

> authors Michael A. Resnick, Ph.D and Craig B. Bennett, Ph.D., 

> said in a joint statement."

> 

> For the rest of the story, see the full press release at

> http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/resnat.htm

> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Fitzgerald, MSPH, CHP

NIEHS Radiation Safety, MD F0-07

P.O. Box 12233

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Phone: 919-541-0325

FAX: 919-541-1893

Home page: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/odhsb/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



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