Jan. 18, 2008 Human evolution has created enhancements in key
genes connected to the p53 regulatory network -- the so-called
guardian of the genome -- by creating additional safeguards in
human genes to boost the network's ability to guard against DNA
damage that could cause cancer or a variety of genetic diseases,
an international team of scientists led by Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center writes in the Jan. 22 Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences. Because genetically engineered
mouse models are increasingly powerful tools in understanding
the risks and mechanisms of human diseases -- and rodents do not
have the same evolution-based safeguards in p53 function as
humans -- the study also underscores the need for additional
considerations in the interpretation of research using rodent
models. "Our findings are especially important because rodents
are often used as model organisms to investigate the genetic
origins of diseases that affect humans, such as cancer
investigators evaluating th