Publications by authors named "Mark Fell"
Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that use a germline 'copy-and-paste' mechanism to spread throughout metazoan genomes. At least 50 per cent of the human genome is derived from retrotransposons, with three active families (L1, Alu and SVA) associated with insertional mutagenesis and disease. Epigenetic and post-transcriptional suppression block retrotransposition in somatic cells, excluding early embryo development and some malignancies.
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- Infection of sheep with the gastric nematode Teladorsagia circumcincta leads to significant immune changes, including increased mucous neck cells and mast cells, eosinophilia, and altered T-cell responses.
- Gene expression profiling was conducted on the abomasal mucosa of sheep with different immune statuses before and after exposure to the parasite, using advanced ovine cDNA arrays to analyze their immune responses.
- Immune sheep showed increased levels of transcripts related to cytotoxicity and immune response regulation, along with a decrease in gastric lysozyme genes, indicating that these changes may have roles in combating the parasite, modulating the immune response, or aiding in tissue repair.
Comparative genomics is an essential component of the post-genomic era. The chicken genome is the first avian genome to be sequenced and it will serve as a model for other avian species. Moreover, due to its unique evolutionary niche, the chicken genome can be used to understand evolution of functional elements and gene regulation in mammalian species.
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