BREAKTHROUGH: The University of York
SCIENTISTS from York have revealed that genes are controlled by ‘nano footballs’ – structures 10 million times smaller than the average ball.
University of York researchers found that by placing tiny glowing probes on special chemicals inside cells which control whether a gene is switched "on" or "off" - researchers gained a remarkable new insight into the way in which genes are controlled.
They discovered they operate not as single molecules as was previously thought, but as a spherical football-like cluster of around seven to ten molecules.
The discovery will help researchers understand more about the basic ways in which genes operate and may also provide insights into human health problems.
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