Research Keyword: Genome-wide association study

Antidepressant Switching as a Proxy Phenotype for Drug Nonresponse: Investigating Clinical, Demographic, and Genetic Characteristics

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This study examined why some people don’t respond well to common antidepressant medications called SSRIs. Researchers used prescription records from over 38,000 people to identify those who switched to different antidepressants as a sign of poor response. They found that people with higher education and income were less likely to switch medications, and that genetic factors influenced who responded poorly to treatment. The research demonstrates that switching medications can serve as a reliable marker for identifying nonresponders, potentially helping doctors personalize antidepressant prescribing in the future.

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Natural expression variation for the Arabidopsis MED20a mediator complex subunit influences quantitative resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

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Scientists studied how different varieties of a common plant (Arabidopsis) naturally resist a destructive fungal disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. By examining genetic differences among plant varieties and testing a fungus from different sources, they found that a gene called MED20a plays an important role in disease resistance. Plants with specific genetic variations in the MED20a gene’s control region were more resistant to infection.

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Select and Resequence Methods Enable a Genome-Wide Association Study of the Dimorphic Human Fungal Pathogen Coccidioides posadasii

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Scientists developed a new method to understand how different strains of the fungus Coccidioides posadasii, which causes Valley Fever, respond to temperature changes. By mixing multiple fungal strains together and sequencing their DNA after growing them at different temperatures, they identified a gene that helps determine whether the fungus grows better in hot (body temperature) or cool (environmental) conditions. This discovery could help explain how this dangerous fungus adapts to human infection and may lead to better treatments for Valley Fever.

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Gut fungi are associated with human genetic variation and disease risk

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Researchers discovered for the first time how human genes influence the fungi living in our gut and how this connection affects heart disease risk. They found that a yeast called Kazachstania is regulated by a gene called CDH13, and people with certain genetic variants have less of this beneficial yeast and higher risk of heart disease. This groundbreaking study shows that our genetics don’t just affect bacteria in our gut—they also shape our fungal community, which has real implications for heart health.

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The regulatory variant rs1950834 confers the risk of depressive disorder by reducing LRFN5 expression

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Researchers identified a genetic variant (rs1950834) that increases depression risk by reducing production of LRFN5, a protein important for brain connections. They found this variant affects how brain cells in a region called the nucleus accumbens produce LRFN5. When LRFN5 levels are low, mice become more depressed and sensitive to stress, but boosting LRFN5 protects against depression. This discovery could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat depression.

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