Publications by authors named "D Simpson"
Background: Ireland's COVID-19 response combined extensive SARS-CoV-2 testing to estimate incidence, with whole genome sequencing (WGS) for genome surveillance. As an island with two political jurisdictions-Northern Ireland (NI) and Republic of Ireland (RoI)-and access to detailed passenger travel data, Ireland provides a unique setting to study virus introductions and evaluate public health measures. Using a substantial Irish genomic dataset alongside global data from GISAID, this study aimed to trace the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the island.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInnate immune signaling is essential for clearing pathogens and damaged cells and must be tightly regulated to avoid excessive inflammation or autoimmunity. Here, we found that the alternative splicing of exons derived from transposable elements is a key mechanism controlling immune signaling in human cells. By analyzing long-read transcriptome datasets, we identified numerous transposon exonization events predicted to generate functional protein variants of immune genes, including the type I interferon receptor IFNAR2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Prime editing enables precise genetic modifications with fewer unwanted changes, but its inconsistent effectiveness has limited its use in large-scale genetic studies.
- Researchers developed a new prime editing platform that achieves high-efficiency editing, allowing them to investigate over 240,000 engineered guide RNAs targeting various genetic variants.
- The study successfully identified specific genetic mutations that negatively impact essential genes, confirming that the observed effects were directly tied to the precise edits made.