ALS gene discovery

HealthDay reporter Robert Preidt from US News writes Scientists Make Gene Discovery in Lou Gehrig's Disease to bring insight on the discovery of a gene mutation that is in cohorts with ALS, which is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The U.S National Institute on Aging (NIA) performed the study and found this gene mutation. ALS is described as a deadly disease that wipes out the nerve cells which leads to paralysis and weakness. Usually people with this disease die from respiratory failure and according to the NIA, around 10% of the people that have this disorder have inherited ALS in some way or form. The study includes them researching each family's DNA that has multiple family members that have ALS. Results showed that several people within the family had a mutation on the Matrin 3 gene. This gene connects to a protein that attaches to RNA and this mutation generates ALS. Dr.Bryan Traynor says that the discovery gives them something to research more precisely on and also that the neuron death in ALS is somehow related to the disturbance of RNA metabolism. ALS causes 6,000 deaths in America each year.


I hope that the more they research the Matrin 3 gene, the closer they will get to finding a cure to prevent the disruption in RNA metabolism that'll lead to ALS. Since researchers have discovered the gene and now they know it's a gene that one can somewhat inherit, they can inform people ahead of time and possibly prevent them from passing it on to their children. I'm glad that researchers are cracking down genetically on these types of diseases and understanding them more so that they can prevent it or find a cure someday. 

To learn more about ALS click here: http://www.alsa.org/about-als/what-is-als.html
To read the original article: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/04/01/scientists-make-gene-discovery-in-lou-gehrigs-disease