Blocks DNA Seventh and Eighth Found

Researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have found two new chemical blocks in human DNA. Further studies will be conducted to answer questions about the function of the seventh and eighth blocks.

For decades, biology has always taught his students about the four chemical letters that represent blocks of DNA that is ATGS, short for adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. The letter then move up as the discovery of the fifth block of five methylC in 1948, and block 5-hydroxymethylC sixth in 2009. Now re-discovered the new block so that the total block of eight known human DNA.

Yi Zhang, professor of biochemistry and biophysics who chaired the UNC study describes two new block is named after 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine. Both cytosine is actually a version of which has been modified with the Tet protein, a molecular entity that functions in demetilasi and reprogramming of stem cells.

The discovery is expected to help stem cell research that could reprogram adult cells so that they can act like stem cells. "Before we can understand the essence of this invention, we should find out the function of these two new blocks," said Zhang. "Since both of these blocks represent intermediate stages in the process demetilasi, both could be important in reprogramming cells and cancer cell research, which both involve demetilasi DNA."

Two blocks of the newly discovered is not widely known because it is very similar. Her presence will only change the appearance of DNA, but did not alter the function and position. The findings are published in the journal Science on July 21, 2011.

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