PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsGene linked to hearing loss discovered

BioNews

Gene linked to hearing loss discovered

Published 9 June 2009 posted in News and appears in BioNews 504

Author

Dr Will Fletcher

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

A link has been found between progressive hearing loss and a microRNA gene - the first time this type of gene has been implicated in any inherited disorder. The findings are the result of convergent research by scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, and...

A link has been found between progressive hearing loss and a microRNA (ribonucleic acid) gene - the first time this type of gene has been implicated in any inherited disorder. The findings are the result of convergent research by scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, and from Hospital Ramon y Cajal in Madrid, Spain. Companion papers describing the research were published in the journal Nature Genetics.


The Spanish scientists examined people with a family history of deafness, while the British group examined mutant mice called 'diminuendo', which show progressive hearing loss from an early age. Both groups found evidence that implicated mutations in the gene for a microRNA (a small segment of ribonucleic acid that acts to regulate the expression of other genes) as the cause of the hearing loss. The microRNA in these studies is known as miR-96 and is found on chromosome 7 in humans. It is expressed in the hair cells of the inner ear and when mutated may disrupt the function of several other genes.


'We were able quite quickly to show that if the mice carried one copy of the gene variant they suffered progressive hearing loss, if they carried two variants they were profoundly deaf,' said Professor Karen Steel, from the Sanger Institute. Lead author of the mouse paper, Dr Morag Lewis, added: 'The mutation - a change of a single letter of genetic code from A to T - in this tiny stretch of sequence is enough to lead to dramatic loss of hearing in these mice.'


The Spanish researchers found two adjacent mutations in humans that were responsible for the hearing loss but, interestingly, neither were the same as the mutation found in the mice. Family members with one of these mutations had hearing loss while those without the flaw did not. Neither mutation was found in healthy controls.


'The mutation in the second family is just one letter away from the mutation in the first and just one away from the mutation in the mouse gene. All three sit in a vital region of seven letters in the mature sequence of miR96' explained Dr Angeles Mencia from Hospital Ramon y Cajal. Professor Miguel Angel Moreno-Pelayo added 'No one has seen a disease-causing mutation in the mature sequence of a microRNA. This is the first microRNA gene associated with hearing impairment and, remarkably, it is the first to be associated with an inherited disorder.'

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
8 February 2013 • 2 minutes read

Gene 'patch' fixes deafness mutation in mice

by Rueben Harwood

A short strip of genetic material has been used to prevent hereditary deafness in mice...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
15 November 2009 • 2 minutes read

Scientists identify gene involved in hearing loss

by Dr Jay Stone

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, US have discovered that a gene called Bak contributes to age related hearing loss (AHL). Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, report that deleting the gene in mice appears to save the hair cells, resulting in fewer hearing defects....

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« New method to multiply stem cells may help bone marrow transplants

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

UK report reveals public attitudes to fertility, genomics and embryo research

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Shortage of sperm donors despite men willing to donate

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

North East London CCG proposes offering three funded IVF cycles

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Fibrosis drugs reverse ovarian ageing in mice

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Gene implicated in motor neurone diseases discovered

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856