DNA Variations in Evolution and Human Diseases
A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Genomics and Genetic Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2018) | Viewed by 75724
Special Issue Editors
Interests: craniofacial tissue development; genetics of craniofacial birth defects; salivary gland development and disorders; computational biology of gene regulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In 1973, the biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky wrote "nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution". Advances in sequencing technologies have provided the scientific community with essential information to determine which part of the mammalian genome has been going through rapid turnover. Based on DNA conservation and alignment, evolutionary studies have shown that DNA changes are taking place at higher rates in non-coding regulatory regions than in coding sequences that encode for functional protein. Further, molecular and genetic studies in animal models have shown that some DNA variations were maintained through evolution due to the positive effect in increasing the fitness to environmental condition; in contrast, certain DNA variations increase risk for simple and complex diseases.
In humans, genome-wide association studies have demonstrated that ~10% of the disease-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are located in amino acid-coding sequences, whereas 90% of the disease-associated SNPs are outside the protein-coding regions in common complex diseases. Although prediction of functional SNPs in coding regions can be easily accomplished using bioinformatic approaches, prediction of pathological non-coding DNA variations and their effect on target gene expression remains challenging. Identification of pathogenic DNA variants is critical for improving prognosis of genetic diseases in high-risk individuals and for targeted therapies in patients with genetic disorders.
The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an updated view of the current research to understanding the underlying mechanisms by which coding and non-coding DNA variations alter gene function and expression, gene transcriptional start site and post-transcriptional and post-translational regulations.
Dr. Walid Fakhouri
Dr. Ariadne Letra
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Genes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
-
Genomic evolution
-
Coding DNA variations
-
Non-coding DNA variations
-
Alternative transcriptional start site
-
Alternative splicing and mRNA stability
-
Post-transcriptional and -translational regulation
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.